Indian Railways (IR) have reported a revenue earning freight traffic of 104.40 million tones (MT) for the month of December 2018, which translates into a growth of 3.3% compared to corresponding previous period. While the revenue earning freight traffic of IR was by 5.9% and 5.6% for the quarter and nine month period ended Dec 2018 to 307 MT and 896 MT.

As Indian Railways being the monopoly of rail operations in the country, the overall originating container traffic figures of IR represent the overall volume of Indian Container train operator. Thus for the month of December 2018, the total volume of container train operators (CTOs)as reflected by the originating container traffic of IR stood higher by sharp 8% to 5.00 MT. But compared to sequential previous month (i.e. Nov 2018) the container throughput was up by 12% to 4.31 MT.

High single digit growth in IR's container volume for the month of Dec 2018 was largely due to strong growth in EXIM container volumes. The domestic container volume was down by 2.04%yoy (to 0.96 MT) on a high base. While that of EXIM container volume was up by strong 10.99%yoy to 4.04 MT.

Similarly for the quarter and nine month ended Dec 2018, the total volume handled by CTOs was up by 7.2% and 11.5% respectively to 14.22 MT and 44.35 MT. While the domestic container volume was up by 4.8% (to 2.86 MT) for the quarter ended Dec 2018 the EXIM container volume was up by 7.9% (to 11.36 MT). For nine month ended Dec 2018, while the domestic container volume was up by 7.7% (to 8.65 MT) that of EXIM was up by 12.4% (to 35.70 MT).

The container net tonne kilometre (NTKM), a measure of combined increase in goods loading and distance moved by IR for the month of Dec 2018 was up by just 1.2%yoy to 4365 million KMs. Despite high container volume just a marginal growth in NTKM was largely due to fall in lead distance. The lead distance for Dec 2018 was down by 6.3%yoy to 873 kms with EXIM lead distance down by 4.9% to 780 kms and that of domestic lead distance down by 6.3% to 1264 kms.

Thus hurt by lower domestic container volume and lower domestic lead distance the domestic NTKM was down by 8.2% to 1214 million KMs. However the EXIM NTKM was up by just 5.3% (to 3151 million KMs)despite high single digit growth in EXIM container throughput for the month but hit by lower lead distance.

Earnings of IR from originating container volume was up by 5.7% to Rs 501.83 crore for the month of Dec 2018 with Earnings/NTKM up by sharp 4.4% to Rs 1.1497.

For Q3FY19 and 9mFY19 the NTKM was up by 2.7% (to 12583 million Kms) and 6%yoy (to 38859 million KMs).