Russia plans to resume coal shipments via North Korean port of Rajin for further export to China. Earlier shipments through this port used to be directed to China and South Korea, but were halted in 2017, caused by western sanctions against North Korea.
The ice-free port of Rajin, with an annual capacity of 5 mio t, was put into operation in late 2013. The same year, railway border crossing Khasan (Far East, Russia) – Tumangan (North Korea) was opened for the exports of different cargos. Currently, this route is used mainly for shipments of food, oil products and construction materials.
The main importers of Russian coal through the North Korean port of Rajin are the eastern and southeastern coastal provinces of China. One of the advantages of the North Korean port is its competitive transshipment rates.
