The Moscow-based giant reported 27.8 million tonnes of run of mine output over the year, up 1% from 2011 despite the shutdown of its Bluestone operation in West Virginia and ongoing equipment repairs at Russian facilities.

Sales for the year slipped 8% compared to 2011 for both coking coal concentrate and steam coal.

Mechel sold 11.5Mt of coking coal and 5.9Mt of thermal for the year.

The most dramatic swing in activity was in the company’s pulverized coal injection products.

PCI coal sales for 2012 surged 23% versus the previous year to 2.4Mt.

Mechel said the annual performance data demonstrated “positive dynamics” despite a volatile market, difficult weather conditions and operational hindrances.

“Nevertheless, Mechel continued to successfully pursue its strategy of increasing the share of metallurgical coals in the mining division’s overall sales,” Mechel chief executive Evgeny Mikhel said.

The report coincides with Mechel’s efforts to secure a stake in a major Pacific export facility.

The miner said yesterday that its Mecheltrans division had acquired a 22% interest in Vanino sea trade port for 4.57 billion rubles ($US152 million).

Mechel had taken a 55% stake in the port in December but sold the bulk of the acquisition to unnamed companies.

It said the recent purchase would be funded by the same investors who financed the original acquisition and would thus have no bearing on the group’s leverage.

The deal represents part of Mechel’s broader shift in focus toward Asian markets.

Port Vanino cargo turnover in 2012 totalled some 6Mt bound for Russia’s northeast, Japan, South Korea, China, Australia, the US and other Pacific states.

Mechel said the port in the naturally deep Vanino Bay fitted ideally into the logistics of its deliveries to Asia-Pacific countries and would enable the company to significantly expand its customer base.