Tsivilev called for a moratorium on the increase in tariffs for coal transportation

The governor of the Kemerovo region (Kuzbass) called for a moratorium on raising tariffs for transporting coal by rail. He voiced such a proposal at a joint meeting of the commissions of the State Council of the Russian Federation in the areas of “Energy” and “Transport”. This was reported by the press service in the official Telegram channel of the head of the region “Tsivilev.Live”.

Tsivilev also advocated the resumption of the action of reducing coefficients when determining fees for the export transportation of hard coal depending on the distance, providing discounts for the transportation of coal in the direction of the ports of the north-west of Russia in 2023-2024. and the imposition of a moratorium on the adoption of new laws and amendments to regulations that will increase the financial and administrative burden on Russian shippers, port workers, operators and other participants in the transportation of goods.

Since August 10, due to the SVO in Ukraine, the EU embargo on the import of Russian coal has been in effect. In this regard, Russian coal companies had to redirect part of their export volumes to Asia. Europe accounted for a significant part of coal exports: in 2021, 48.75 million tons of Russian coal were supplied to the EU.

The ban exacerbated the problems with the export of coal to the east, associated with the limited carrying capacity of the Eastern landfill (BAM and Trans-Siberian). This happened, among other things, because the flow of other goods transported by rail increased towards Asia. As a result, part of the export of coal to Asia goes through the northwestern Russian ports.

Kuzbass is the largest coal mining region in Russia. According to the list of instructions of President Vladimir Putin dated March 2021, the volume of coal exports from Kuzbass to the East by 2024 should increase by 30% compared to 2020, when 55.8 million tons were shipped from the region in this direction. In 2022 shipment of coal from Kuzbass in the east fell by 5.5% to 53 million tons.

In March 2022, the Non-Discriminatory Access Rules (NRAs) that gave coal priority for transportation on the network were repealed Russian Railways in front of other, more profitable cargoes for railroad workers.

In November 2022, amendments to the Tax Code of the Russian Federation were adopted, which increase the MET rate for coal by 380 rubles for the period from January 1, 2023 to March 31, 2023. per ton. According to the financial and economic justification, this will lead to additional MET revenues in the amount of RUB 30 billion. in 2023. From the beginning of 2022, the MET rate for coking coal is 1.5% of the average raw material price based on FOB Australia Premium Coking Coal quotations.