MOSCOW, February 26. /TASS/. The Russian Energy Ministry forecasts an increase in coal exports after 2024, in light of the Eastern Range railroad expansion and implementation of the [maritime] port of Elga [in the Khabarovsk Region] and Pacific Railroad projects, Deputy Energy Minister Sergey Mochalnikov told TASS.

"We forecast maintaining the 2023 parameters in 2024, if possible. Our production has been running fairly smoothly since 2019. We failed to maintain [the 2022 results] in 2023 exports, but I think we will manage nevertheless to preserve exports at the 2023 level in 2024, and our counterparts from Russian Railways will then manage nevertheless to expand the Eastern Range; room will appear and we will ramp up exports. The commissioning of the Elga [port-related] projects is also coming up: a new port, a corporate railway, therefore they will give us a strong boost in export volumes," Mochalnikov said.

Earlier reports said Russian coal production dipped 1.1% to 438.7 mln metric tons, while exports plunged by 3.9% to 212.5 mln metric tons.