The volumes of oil products transportation in the first half of 2005 stands for 86.1 million tons. Raw oil shipment by railway reduced on 12.3% and stands for 26.4 million tons. Export of raw oil reduced on 30% and stands for 15.7 million tons.

The railway export reduction of raw oil is explained by the significant growth of customs duties. The high customs duties force oil companies sell raw oil in the internal market and reprocess it at the Russian oil reprocessing plants. Reduction of oil shipments by YOUKOS is another important factor, influencing on shipment volumes, RusEnergy informs.

According to the specialists from the Russian Railways, oil is not the main cargo of the railways, the basic one is oil products. Railways started to transport oil when export volume was so high, that oil pipelines could not handle such volumes. The nowadays tendency is reduction of raw oil railway shipment, which is compensated by growth of oil products shipment.

The Russian Railways expects 5% growth of all oil products shipment in 2005 and reduction of raw oil transportation on 5 million tons.