MOSCOW, October 10. /TASS/. Russia can redirect about 25 mln metric tons of coal from the west to the east, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said in the article for the Energy Policy magazine.
"In particular, an opportunity of increasing supplies to countries of the Asia-Pacific Region is being considered. Volumes from the European market can be partly sent by rail to eastern ports and border crossing. That is, about 25 mln metric tons can be redirected from the west to the east, including via ports of the Azov-Black Sea Basin," Novak said.
Russia will work on the increase of the throughput capacity of the Eastern Range, availability of marine transport, accelerated development of coal terminals in ports in promising export destinations and reduction of costs and delivery time, the official said.
"Coal exports along the Eastern Range can grow to 216 mln metric tons by 2030. Port capacities of eastern ports for coal transshipment may grow by 55-211 mln metric tons by 2031, which will be 1.4-2.3 times above current throughput capacity (about 150 mln metric tons," Novak added.