"Transit via Russia Remains Attractive Because of Its Speed," Says METRANS Małaszewicze Chairman Mirosław Smulczyński

Russia is limiting freight capacity in favour of military transport, using the transhipment facilities at the Dostyk border crossing to supply its domestic market, and introducing additional customs restrictions on cargo moving from China to Europe. All of these measures are negatively affecting both throughput and the number of trains heading towards Europe. At the same time, the capacity of the Brest–Terespol rail border crossing is currently being utilised at only 60–70%. Speaking about the future of the Northern Corridor of the New Silk Road is Mirosław Smulczyński, Chairman of the Management Board of METRANS Małaszewicze.

The global geopolitical situation continues to become more complicated. The European Union is already proposing its 21st package of sanctions against Russia and Belarus in response to Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine. The sanctions packages introduced so far have significantly reduced general cargo volumes. This creates substantial obstacles not only for Russia and Belarus, but also for Europe itself. As transit traffic from China remains important for the European economy, transport and logistics companies continue to actively search for and compare alternative solutions.

It was in this context that we met Mirosław Smulczyński, Chairman of the Management Board of METRANS Małaszewicze, during the Intermodal in Poland 2026 Congress. He shared his views on the development of the Małaszewicze terminal area, which serves as the principal transhipment hub on the Northern Corridor.

During the discussion about the future of the Małaszewicze transhipment area, a rather heated debate emerged. Why do you think some participants disagreed with your position?

I do not agree with that assumption. On the contrary, I believe that all participants in the panel discussion supported my position. I presented the main trends we observed in intermodal transport during 2025, and everyone agreed with them. I also pointed out that competition in the Małaszewicze transhipment area is already high and will continue to increase. Given the large number of container terminals in operation, the limited capacity of the Brest–Terespol rail border crossing, and the construction of additional container terminals, there is growing pressure to retain existing customers. In the near future, terminals will face increasingly intense competition. I also stated that the railway infrastructure manager CARGOTOR is lagging in modernising infrastructure and is not implementing the necessary investments. Meanwhile, private companies continue to build new, modern container terminals. This is where a disagreement emerged between myself and Marek Słomka, Chairman of the Management Board of CARGOTOR, which then led to a broader debate with other panel participants.

Marek Słomka repeatedly stressed the need for further investment and capacity expansion in Małaszewicze. I agree with that view. However, the key issue is that these plans have been discussed for years without any tangible implementation. The throughput capacity of the rail infrastructure has remained unchanged for the past decade and still stands at approximately 15 train pairs per day. In my opinion, insufficient rail infrastructure capacity is the main obstacle preventing further growth in container traffic on the Northern Corridor. CARGOTOR has significantly delayed the implementation of its development plans. While transhipment capacity at container terminals has increased substantially and continues to grow, the railway infrastructure itself has remained largely unchanged.

During the discussion, the so-called Middle Corridor was also mentioned. How do you assess this route?

Personally, I do not support the Middle Corridor because it represents direct competition to Małaszewicze. For us, the Northern Land Route remains the key corridor. At the same time, opinions expressed during the discussion confirmed the main argument that the route via Małaszewicze remains the fastest option in terms of transit time.

Why, then, do some operators choose the Middle Corridor?

The primary reason is uncertainty at the Belarusian border. For example, last year rail traffic was interrupted there for approximately two weeks, which significantly undermined customer confidence. Chinese partners fear that similar disruptions could seriously affect supply chains in the long term. The Middle Corridor runs from China through Central Asia, across the Caspian Sea, through the South Caucasus and the Black Sea region, with one branch leading directly into the European Union. Although this corridor is not affected by sanctions, its capacity is limited, and the route is significantly longer than the Northern Corridor.

The European Union continues to impose sanctions on Russia. What impact does this have on Małaszewicze in the context of the war in Ukraine?

The geopolitical situation remains highly tense. A significant proportion of containers currently move through Kazakhstan and China directly to Moscow. Russia is operating under wartime conditions, meaning that part of its railway capacity is prioritised for military purposes. This further limits opportunities for civilian container traffic destined for Europe.

In theory, rail traffic volumes between China and Europe via Russia could be increased. In practice, however, sanctions and other restrictions prevent this from happening. Exports of many commodities to Russia are heavily restricted, and freight flows have become increasingly dependent on China. At the same time, imports from Europe to China have declined considerably in recent years.

What is the current situation on the labour market in Małaszewicze?

The expected market slowdown and growing competition within the transhipment area could lead to serious financial difficulties. In some cases, revenues no longer cover staff and operational costs. At the same time, the market is facing a shortage of qualified workers, and companies are competing intensely to recruit experienced personnel. Skilled specialists are scarce, and training new employees requires significant time and long-term investment.