Demand to move goods from Asia to Europe by rail via Russia has soared since the start of the Red Sea crisis, according to logistics companies and rail operators, boosting the finances of the country’s state-owned rail monopoly.

Germany’s DHL said requests to transport goods on the Russian rail corridor had jumped about 40 per cent since container ships started diverting via a longer route in December. RailGate Europe said demand was up 25 to 35 per cent, while Netherlands-based Rail Bridge Cargo said cargo rail traffic via Russia this year was 31 per cent higher compared with the same time last year.

Logistics companies have looked anew at routes through Russia following the decision of most large container shipping lines to divert Asia to Europe sailings that would normally go through the Suez Canal to travel via the Cape of Good Hope. They acted after a campaign of attacks on commercial ships was launched by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis in support of Gaza’s Palestinians.

The diversions have pushed up door-to-door journey times between China and Northern Europe by seven to 10 days, to between 50 and 55 days. DHL said door-to-door journey times by rail through Russia between Chengdu in China and Duisburg in Germany were currently between 25 and 30 days.

“The requests have picked up since the beginning of the situation in the Red Sea by around 40 per cent,” DHL said of customer inquiries about rail. “The overwhelming amount is going through Russia.”

However, the company stressed that it was carrying no traffic originating in or travelling to Russia in line with western exports restrictions imposed on Russia for its war on Ukraine.

“We’re doing severe export controls, in line with applicable sanctions,” said DHL.