TransRussia 2001, now in its sixth consecutive year, continues to be an accurate barometer of Russia's economic health. The last two exhibitions in 1999 and 2000 were both held during difficult trading environments - the severe inbound downturn following the 98 financial crash and the economic uncertainty during the run up to the Presidential elections. With exhibition space for 2001 sold out, this year's TransRussia 2001 reflected the genuine optimism that has returned to the freight transport market serving the Russian and CIS markets. The move to the new venue of the Olympiysky Sport Complex in the centre of Moscow was popular with exhibitors, with 75% rebooking for 2002 on site, and with visitors numbers up 70% on 2000's attendance to 6,100, the accessibility of the new venue was appreciated by all participants.

The freight transport industry was well represented with forwarders, ports, rail operators and shipping lines forming the largest industry sectors. DFDS Tor Line Group and APL Europe were among first time shipping line exhibitors who joined P&O; Nedlloyd, Finncarriers, Alianca, Saimaa Lines, Samskip, Team Lines and Finnlines.

The port sector read like a "Who's who" of international ports - representing the Baltic trades Hamburg returned for the second consecutive year who joined Bremen, now in their 4th year, along with regulars St Petersburg, Tallinn, Ventspils, Riga, Kaliningrad, Klaipeda, Liepaja, Helsingborgs, Kiel, Luebeck, Sassnitz and Aarhus - other north European ports included London and Dunkerque. The Black and Caspian seas also had a strong port contingent with Novorossiysk, Russia's largest port, Il'ichevsk and Aktau all taking stands. Russia's East coast ports Vladivostock and Vostochny also exhibited along with Nakhodka, Arkhangelsk, Vanino and Taganrog. Finnish ports were strongly represented with Kokkola, Kotka and Hamina being joined for the first time by Helsinki. The Polish ports of Szczecin-Swinoujscie and Gdansk also appeared at TransRussia for the first time.

With rail transport still performing the dominant role in Russian/CIS freight transport movement it was no surprise that virtually every rail organisation whose country has a natural border with Russia exhibited. Alongside the dominant Russian Ministry of Railways joint stand with CFTO MPS were DB Cargo, VR Cargo, Trans Siberian Express Services, Latvian Rail, Lithuanian Rail, Estonian Rail, Trade Trans, Railcraft, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, Polzug, Eurosib, Belorussian Rail and Hungarian State Rail. Intercontainer-Interfrigo were a first time exhibitor, promoting the Intercontainer landbridge services via the CIS to and from third countries.

Once again, freight forwarders contributed to over 20% of the overall space with Danzas and Schenker leading the international forwarding community. The Russian freight forwarding industry was strongly represented by SVT Concern, Trans Business Group, Sojuztransit, Sovfracht, Soyuzneshtrans, Delo and Severstaltrans.