VLADIVOSTOK, September 7. /TASS/. Freight traffic is currently weakening at the Eastern Polygon, but it will increase, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Savelyev told TASS in an interview at the Eastern Economic Forum.

"The solutions will ensure the development of the Eastern Polygon up to 210 and further up to 270 million tons in the future, if necessary. There is a definite drop in freight traffic now for objective reasons, but this is a temporary issue. We still forecast growth, so we are building further," he said.

On July 6, 2013, Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed the government to prepare a detailed timetable for further steps to modernize the Trans-Siberian (Transsib) and Baikal-Amur (BAM) highways. In 2022, Russian Railways completed the first, $3.6 billion stage of development of the Eastern Polygon increasing the total carrying capacity of the Transsib and BAM to 144 million tons.

The second stage of the program was designed until the end of 2024. The third stage of expansion was planned to begin in 2025. By 2030, the Eastern Polygon’s carrying capacity is to reach 210 million tons, and 270 million tons by the end of 2032.

The Tenth Eastern Economic Forum was held in Vladivostok on September 3-6. The main theme of the EEF is The Far East: Cooperation for Peace and Prosperity. As part of the forum's business program, more than 100 thematic sessions were held, divided into seven blocks. The forum was attended by over 4,500 people from more than 70 countries and territories. The EEF is organized by the Roscongress Foundation. TASS is the general information partner of the forum.