Vitaly Potapov, General Director of LOGOPER, interviewed by Kommersant.
— Container shipping popularity has surged recently. How did the market survive 2022, and what's its current state?
— The container market is thriving now. But 2022 shattered established schemes overnight—disrupting not just goods logistics, but payment flows too.
After the shock, sellers grasped that stocked shelves meant survival. With most consumer goods imported—domestic producers unable to fully cover demand—companies pivoted to Eastern routes: Turkey, India, Pakistan, etc.
Despite sanctions and big retailers' exits, 2022 volumes matched 2021 almost exactly.
— Did domestic hauls compensate for foreign declines?
— Intrarussia shipments grew most in 2022: 2.5M TEU (+3.1% YoY)—but didn't substitute exports/imports. Gains came from containers displacing trucks and fewer empties. Import containers once ran empty from Moscow to exports; now they're backloaded for balance.
— Key challenges for container market players?
— Freight corridor shifts hiked lead times and strained fitting platforms. Far East volume spikes revealed rail bottlenecks and terminal constraints. Upgrades continue, but top-tier results need 2+ years. Sea terminal programs predated this, activating Far East sites for containers.
— Sverdlovsk region's infrastructure ready for container boom?
— Ural TLC opened at Apparatnaya station last fall—adequate for now. Demand growth offers vast expansion upside, aligning with cargo owners' push for nearer-to-consumer delivery.
— Top containerized goods?
— Containerization rises yearly: ~95% of daily items could/could've used them. Grains shifted heavily past 5 years; fertilizers last 2. Export lumber, once truck/flatcar/timber wagon to ports, now mostly containers. Smaller lots near end-users simplify sales; stuffing tech advances.
— Container supply keeping pace?
— Shortage fears loomed (half fleet foreign-owned), but Russian operators overbought from China. EUP's zero-duty import (extended to 2023 end) was vital aid—Russia's output dwarfs China's; local plants need decades for demand.
— Post-2022 adaptations: 2023 outlook?
— Players will adapt nimbly like last year. Eastward tilt holds, new routes possible. Watch sanctions—they could jolt rail market.
