Ukrainian transporters decreased cargo transportation by 6.5% in January-May 2013 on January-May 2012, to 296.7 million tonnes, according to the State Statistics Service.

The service said cargo turnover went down by 11.4% year-over-year, to 146.3 billion tonne-kilometers.

According to the service, in January-May 2013 cargo transportation by rail decreased by 4.1%, to 173.4 million tonnes.

A rise of 3.9% in cargo dispatch was recorded at Pivdenno-Zakhidna railways, and there was a 6.4% decline at Pivdenna railways, while at Prydniprovska railways cargo turnover was up by 0.9%. At Lviv railways it went down by 1%, at Donetsk railways it fell by 8.7% and at Odesa railways it dropped by 7.5%.

Timber cargo shipments grew by 11.5%, ferrous scrap metal was up by 5.6%, iron and manganese ore by 3.4%.

Construction materials shipments fell by 0.7%, cement by 0.4% and ferrous metal by 1.3%. Coke shipments dropped by 3.1%, coal by 5%, chemical and mineral fertilizers by 5.3%, grain and flour shipments by 25.1%, and oil and refined products by 17.7%.

The domestic sea and river merchant fleet cut the processing of cargo by 21.4%, a total of 1.7 million tonnes of cargo being delivered to customers.

The processing of cargo at merchant and fishing ports and industrial wharves (sea and river) was down by 6.7%, to 61 million tonnes. Processing of domestic cargo grew by 19.4%, and that of imported cargo was up by 3.2%, and transit cargo fell by 14.6%. Processing of exported cargo contracted by 5.9%.

The number of processed foreign and freight ships declined by 10.7%, to 5,600.

Cargo transportation by road in the period under review decreased by 1.9%, to 67.6 million tonnes. Cargo turnover was 0.5% down, to 15.2 billion tonne-kilometers.

In January-May 2013, Ukraine's main pipelines transported 53.9 million tonnes of gas, oil and ammonia, or 12.2% down over January-May 2012. Gas pumping declined by 13.4%. Ammonia transportation was up by 13.8%, while oil transportation fell by 7.6%. Transit of oil went up by 1.6%, while gas transit contracted by 16.4%, and ammonia transit was up by 9.8%.

Aviation companies transported 42,800 tonnes of cargo, which is 8.8% down year-over-year.