972 
the average speed, turnaround times, and 
 
 
TRADE 
 MINERALS YEARBOOK, 1978-79 
 
MINERAL TRANSPORTATION 
 
 Over 90% of 1979 mineral production was shipped by rail. The average transportation
distances of selected mineral commodities shipped by rail and pipeline in
1978 follow, in kilometers: coal, 725; crude oil (by pipeline), 600; petroleum
products (by pipeline), 585; iron ore, 795; coke, 830; ferrous metal, 1,410;
and mineral fertilizers, 985. 
 The decree of the Central Committee CPSU and the U.S.S.R. Council of Ministers
on "Measures to Develop Rail Transportation in 1976-80" named fuel
as being
the first among the high priority types of railway freight. Timely fuel delivery
is viewed as a mOst important state task. Actually, rail transport has not
been meeting targets with respect to raw coal and lignite and petroleum haulage,
especially in the eastera coal regions of Siberia and Kazakshstan. 
 Rail transport, once a Soviet "succeess story," is increasingly
acting as
a spoiler of all other branches of the economy. Investment in the vast railroad
network has been neglected in the recent past. The result is that the system
is now undercapitalized and overloaded. Performance indicators, such as 
 The Soviet Union trades with 131 countries, and for 111 the trade is based
on interstate agreements. The trade continues to be oriented towards imports
of large quantities of Western industrial machinery and technology (including
complete industrial plants) and substantial grain purchases. The Soviets
rely heavily on both foreign Government-backed and commercial credits to
finance the increasing foreign currency deficit. Exports of minerals help
pay for these imports. 
 I~ the Soviet minerals economy, internatiorial trade is given high priority.
Since the value and volume of trade are both outlined in the national plans,
foreign trade reflects national goals and priorities. There is, therefore,
an implied commitment to export to achieve a desired trade balance, and this
can result in sales below world prices. Domestic consumer demand is a less
important motivation than exports. Almost all exports could easily be consumed
domestically. 
freight car utilization factors, have been deteriorating steadily. Railroad
cars are hoarded by regional authorities with the result that shipments are
delayed. 
 One of the country's biggest construction projects is the Baykal-Amur Railway
(BAM), but with its completion the bottleneck in Western Siberia and westwards
to the Urals, where there is only one line, will remain. 
 The U.S.S.R. has the sixth largest merchant fleet in the world and the largest
number of general cargo vessels. It continues to expand, mainly to reduce
the Soviet dependence on Western ships for the carrying of bulk cargoes.
Fleet performance was expected to increase by more than 22% during the 1976-80
period. A net increase of 3.4 million d~adweight tons in fleet capacity is
planned for the same period after allowing for the retirement of 1.6 million
deadweight tons. 
 The second section of the Vostochnyy (Nakhodka) terminal for oceangoing
container ships was to be commissioned at the end of 1980. Like the first
section, this will be fitted out with Japanese equipment. By the mid-1980's
Vostochnyy will be the largest port of the Pacific Coast. 
 
 
 
 
 
 Exports in 1979 increased 6.7 billion rubles to 42.4 billion rubles, while
imports increased 3.4 billion rubles to 37.9 billion rubles. The centrally
planned economy countries of the CMEA nations account for 52% of the Soviet
foreign trade turnover in 
1979 compared with 56% in 1978. The Soviet trade with developed countries
grew by 31%, increasing from 20 billion rubles in 1978 to 26 billion rubles
in 1979. Most active here are the Federal Republic of Germany, the United
States, France, Japan, and Finland. Soviet trade with developing countries
amounted to 11%, reaching a total of 9.5 billion rubles in 1979. 
 Fuels, mineral raw materials, and metals play the largest role in Soviet
exports, representing over half of total official exports during 1979. Fossil
fuels have been the top export category since 1974. Commodities falling within
this classification include crude oil and petroleum products, natural gas,
coal, and coke. 
 Large-scale and long-term cooperation in-