In July, North Korean authorities launched a coal terminal at Rajin, the ice-free port on the country's north-east coast. The facility is set to handle around 4 Mtpa of Russian coal exports, following a Russian Railways (RZD) pilot project earlier this year to transport Siberian coal to Rajin by rail. Coal deliveries to Asian-Pacific markets are forecast to increase by 250% by 2030 and Russian Pacific port capacity is unable to meet the expected demand. RZD anticipates Rajin will provide an additional export route not only for Russia, but also North Chinese traders. Terminal construction was officially a joint project between North Korea and RZD, but the Russian state-run railway monopoly was its key developer and investor. The terminal is part of RZD's more ambitious project of reconstructing the Trans-Korean Railway (TKR).
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