Russia to increase coal supplies to Europe amid record gas prices | 01.10.21
European users have requested a supply of thermal coal from Russia amid record gas prices, and Russian coal miners are ready to ramp up sales for the region, two coal market sources told TASS. Russian Railways, in turn, have the opportunity to increase the transportation of coal in the European direction, the press service of the holding told the agency.
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“European users – power companies in particular – have requested additional supplies of thermal coal from a Russian source,” a coal company told TASS. – Russian coal miners supply additional volumes to Europe. However, in this case, it is necessary for Russian Railways to provide additional opportunities for transportation to ports. “
The second source on the market has increased the demand for an increase in the volume of purchases of Russian gas.
The Ministry of Energy has not received any requests from European countries to increase coal supplies, the department told TASS earlier.
The price of gas in Europe this week for the first time in history exceeded $ 1,000, and then $ 1100 per 1,000 rubles. cub. m. Alexey Miller previously stated that there is a strong position in the injection of gas into underground storage facilities in Europe.
Transportation to Europe
Russian Railways are ready to challenge coal miners to transport products in the western direction, the holding’s press service told TASS.
“Infrastructure capabilities of Russian Railways, if necessary, to provide additional export of coal in the western direction. As for the car fleet, according to Russian Railways. In total, the railway network has more than 580 thousand rubles. gondola cars. Of these, about 10%, according to Russian Railways, remain unused for the carriage of goods, ”the company said.
The interlocutor of the agency clarified that in September coal for export to the ports of the Azov-Black Sea basin, according to operational data, increased by 43.2% compared to the same period last year, to the ports of the North-West – by 0.1%.
According to the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation, the export of Russian coal to European countries in January-June 2021 increased by 2.4% compared to the same period last year, to 22.55 million tons. Energy carriers, “green” capacities are still insufficient and they do not have the same reliability as the current system, the ministry said in a September 3 message.
