MOSCOW, July 29. /TASS/. Total volume of coal haulage via the Eastern Polygon may grow to 121.7 mln tons by 2025, to 178.7 mln tons by 2030, and to 267.2 mln tons by 2035 amid refocusing of export supplies to the East and maintained volumes of traffic to the domestic market, according to the strategy for development of Russia’s mineral resources base through 2050.

Russia’s Energy Ministry said earlier that coal companies had boosted haulage via the Eastern Polygon by 6% in 2023 to 108 mln tons.

The issue of developing the Eastern Polygon, as well as the Northern Sea Route, is pressing due to refocusing of export supply directions to the East and a projected increase in mineral output, according to the strategy.

In particular, with maintained volumes of haulage to the domestic market, lower exports in the Western direction and maintained trend of higher coal supplies in other directions the volumes of coal haulage via the Eastern Polygon of Russian railways will total 121.7 mln tons by 2025, 178.7 mln tons by 2030, and 267.2 mln tons by 2035, which means haulage may climb 2.5-fold by 2035 compare with 2023.

Exports can potentially be increased to African, Latin American and Asia-Pacific countries, according to the document.

The Eastern polygon unites the Trans-Siberian Railway and the Baikal Amur Main Line. Now these highways are operating at capacity limits. By the order of the Russian President, the Eastern polygon is being updated. By 2024, it is planned to increase the throughput of highways in the direction of sea ports and border crossings of the Far East to 180 million tons per year.