Sakhalinugol President Oleg Misevra is optimistic when it comes to the outlook for Sakhalin coal export.
Photo: Valery Levitin
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Sakhalin Coal Heads Eastwards
Sakhalinugol president and former top manager at SUEK, Oleg Misevra announced yesterday he intends to construct a seaport in the Sakhalin Region with up to 6-million ton capacity. Misevra plans to ship Russia’s brown coal to Japan. But it is yet unclear, where so much coal could be found in Sakhalin.
Former general director of Baikal-Ugol, Oleg Misevra had been in charge of the coal assets at MDM Group till 2004. He owned a stake in SUEK, which MDM Group had managed up to the spring of 2004. Once MDM Group was liquidated and SUEK split off into a separate business, Misevra disposed of his stake in exchange for the MDM’s coal assets in Sakhalin and a stake in Sakhalinenergo, core client for Sakhalinugol’s mines. At present Misevra owns around 11 coal enterprises, covering up to 80 percent of all coal production in Sakhalin.
Misevra told reporters Thursday Sakhalinugol Asset Management Co. is willing to take part in rebuilding Shakhtersk seaport, the Sakhalin Region, to transship and export brown coal to Japan. After rebuilding, the port will be able to handle 6 million tons of coal on year. The project budget is estimated from $40 million to $50 million. Respective feasibility study is being elaborated.
Moreover, Misevra holds off-the-record talks with Russian Railways to construct the 140-km branch line from the port to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and from the port to Solntsevsky mine, as the latter is expected to produce the better part of the export-oriented coal. The project will be carried out for the account of the Russian Railways, but Sakhalinugol may consider share participation in case of need, Misevra said.
Misevra specified Sakhalinugol may deliver up to 1 million tons of coal to Japan in 2005 and up to 2 million tons in 2006. He eyes Hokkaido and Tokyo Electric power companies as the key clients.
It is yet unclear, where Misevra will get so much coal. Sakhalin produced no more than 3.5 million tons of coal overall in the best days. In time of sale, Sakhalin enterprises of SUEK yielded around 1.5 million tons on year. At present Solntsevsky mine can ensure around 700,000 tons of coal on year. Misevra counts on updating production facilities of his key mine to reach 5-million ton annual production. He has never specified the actions to be taken to the effect.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of May 27, 2005
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