Сompetitiveness assessment of the railway network of Кazakhstan in the performance of transit container transportation

Abstract

Purpose. To improve the methods for assessing the routes of transportation of containers by transit railway administrations. Methodology. The results of the presented scientific research were obtained on the basis of general methods of cognition such as abstract-logical analysis, systematization, the method of theoretical generalization, as well as on the basis of special methods of economic and mathematical modeling, the theory of railway operation and transport geography. Findings. In the course of the study, an analysis was made of the transport network of the Eurasian continent as a whole and the railway transport network of Kazakhstan, as part of it, in particular. An assessment was made of the socio-economic development of the regions, transportation between which can potentially be carried out through the territory of Kazakhstan. Indicators of the duration and cost of shipping containers by sea and rail between East Asia and Europe have been established. An assessment of the competitiveness of container transportation routes passing through the territory of Kazakhstan in comparison with alternative routes was made. Originality. In this paper, the method for estimating the routes of transportation of containers by transit railway administrations has been improved. Unlike existing methods, the assessment of the duration of transportation is carried out throughout the entire length of transportation “from door to door”. Also, the paper proposes to evaluate the effectiveness of railway routes, taking into account the service of the entire territory through which they pass, and not just the starting and ending points. Practical value. The results of the research allow railway administrations to improve the efficiency of planning the development of transit container traffic on different routes. The regions for which the railways of Kazakhstan can compete with maritime transport both in terms of price and in terms of the speed of transportation for the entire container traffic, as well as regions for which competition can be carried out only for the market share of transportation in containers of valuable and perishable goods, have been established.