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LTG Cargo, the rail freight company of the LTG Group, has already transported 1.5 million tonnes of Lithuanian grain this year and has completed one of the most intensive grain seasons in recent years. Although total grain transport volumes in August were lower than during the same period last year, the company successfully ensured smooth cargo flows and increased transportation speed by 16.3%.

This year, the grain harvesting and dispatch period was significantly shorter than usual. In previous years, the peak season typically lasted around six weeks, whereas this year the main flows were concentrated within just four weeks.

“We achieved strong results in cooperation with our largest customers, who generate around 65-70% of all grain transportation volumes. In this segment, LTG Cargo exceeded its targets and transported 15% more grain than during the same period last year. This is the highest volume of grain transported for these customers since 2021,” says Eglė Šimė, CEO of LTG Cargo.

Despite the season’s high intensity, LTG Cargo succeeded in improving its operational efficiency. According to the company’s CEO, this is particularly important as competition in grain transportation continues to increase. By changing transportation planning principles and strengthening capacity management, LTG Cargo was able to move the harvest more efficiently and respond faster to customer needs.

The Port of Klaipėda remained the primary destination for rail transportation of agricultural products, while the largest share of Lithuanian grain originated from the Kaunas region.

One of the key factors enabling efficient grain transportation was effective capacity management on the main routes to Klaipėda. This year, some trains were assembled at regional hubs such as Kazlų Rūda and Panevėžys. This helped distribute traffic flows more effectively and maintain a stable transportation rhythm even during the busiest period of the season.

Summer storms also posed an additional challenge, temporarily affecting railway infrastructure operations on certain sections of the network. Nevertheless, LTG Cargo responded promptly to the situation, and the challenges caused by the storms over one weekend did not have a significant impact on overall transportation volumes or customer service.

This year, LTG Cargo allocated nearly 1,700 specialized grain wagons for the grain season. It was also the first season in which all 500 newly acquired grain hopper wagons were used in grain logistics operations. By addressing the previously existing shortage of specialized wagons in the market, this investment created the conditions for more stable and responsive service delivery. The new wagons can carry up to 70 tonnes of grain each and offer both greater capacity and faster loading times.

Last year, LTG Cargo transported a total of 24.4 million tonnes of freight, of which 2.5 million tonnes consisted of grain. The company expects to maintain a similar grain transport volume this year.