JSC TransContainer, Russia’s leading rail-based container transportation company, announces the opening of its renovated and expanded container terminal at Zabaikalsk, on the Sino-Russian border in the Far East of Russia.

The existing station and terminal has undergone full scale upgrade and modernisation and has been converted into a large cargo processing centre for receiving and handling cargoes from the Republic of China. The modernization was started in December 2006 and cost ca. Rbls 1.5 billion ($ 60 mln). The opening is part of broader arrangements between TransContainer and China Railways aimed at development of cooperation in container transportation between China and Russia.

According to the company’s management, the increased capacity of the new Zabaikalsk terminal is 600 000 TEU per annum, up from 164 000 TEU.

After the modernization the terminal has become the biggest rail-side inland container terminal in Russia. Key elements of the expansion include:

• The ability to tranship cargo from 1435 mm gauge to 1520 mm gauge in a day or less.
• The ability to load simultaneously 3 block trains of 1520 mm gauge and unload 3 trains of gauge 1435 mm per day.
• New cargo handling capabilities including new transporter cranes and “KALMAR” loaders with cargo capacity of 40 tonnes.

Petr Baskakov, Director General of TransContainer said at the opening ceremony:

“The renovated Zabaikalsk container terminal is our contribution to the future of transportation business between Russia and Asia-Pacific countries. Zabaikalsk is an important gateway for cargo en route from Asia-Pacific countries to Russia, CIS and Western Europe. We have lately witnessed considerable growth in transport volumes through Zabaikalsk. This expansion means that Russia’s important in-land border crossing in the Far East now has sufficient capacity, enabling our customers to save considerable time by swiiching container flows from the sea to the trans-Siberian railway.”

Notes to Editors

JSC TransContainer

JSC TransContainer is Russia’s leading rail-based container transportation company. Employing more than 5,000 people, TransContainer is operating the largest fleet of containers and flatcars in Russia, with more than 53,000 ISO containers and 23,000 flatcars. TransContainer also owns and operates a network of container terminals located at 47 railway stations in Russia and 17 branch offices, which cover the main transportation hubs across the Russian Federation.

In 2007, TransContainer had revenue of approximately Rbls 13,375 billion ($ 517 mln) and profit of around Rbls 1,9 billion ($ 73 mln), according to IFRS. 85% of shares are owned by JSC RZD (Russian Railways) and 15% - by private investors, including 9.25% by European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Zabaikalsk

Zabaikalsk station is at the centre of the Zabaikalsk District in the Chita Region and plays a vital part in trade and economic cooperation between Russia and China. The station services block trains on import and transit routes from China to Russia, CIS, Eastern and Central Europe.