MOSCOW – United Company Rusal, the world's second biggest aluminium producer, in May increased aluminium exports to 197 000 tonnes, up almost threefold from April, Interfax news agency reported.
Citing Russian Railways data, Interfax said January-May aluminium exports totalled 972 000 tonnes, down 16% on a year earlier.
Sources told Reuters last month that Rusal, placed under US sanctions in April, has resumed shipping aluminium to some customers following an extension of a deadline for companies to wind down contracts with the Russian firm.
After the sanctions were imposed on April 6, some customers had asked Rusal to stop shipping metal until their legal and compliance teams had confirmed their contracts allowed them to take Rusal's aluminium until October 23, sources said at the time.
Last year, Rusal, where Oleg Deripaska's En+ is a controlling shareholder, exported 3.95-million tonnes of aluminium, of which 42% was shipped to Europe.