The BELAZ CEO said: “I would like the gas component to be present in all the engines of our trucks with the carrying capacity of 90-240 t in 2018-2019. There are also other promising avenues of cooperation, which we are discussing with our partner.” The first BELAZ truck with an LNG engine has already been assembled and is being trialled in Russia. IM has previously reported that Kovdor (Eurochem), Alrosa and Sibir Energy companies are all looking at running LNG powered BELAZ mining trucks and that there are two trucks already at Kovdor prepared for dual fuel mode.

Piotr Parkhomchik also pointed out that in January 2018 Cummins intends to consider all the engine sale proposals submitted not only by BELAZ but the Belarusian Industry Ministry. Another meeting will take place soon to sketch out future plans for advancing the bilateral relations.Cummins Inc Vice President Norbert Nusterer underlined that 25 years of cooperation with BELAZ represent a fine example of global trade. “Thanks to this cooperation we’ve been able to penetrate global markets and become a serious player,” he remarked. In 2017, BELAZ doubled engine purchases from the American company in comparison with 2016 due to the rising output of mining vehicles. In 2016, the Belarusian company bought 469 Cummins engines. So far this year BELAZ has bought over 800 engines with various outputs worth over $100 million.

The first Cummins engine was installed into a BELAZ truck with the carrying capacity of 110 t. Now the Belarusian manufacturer of haul trucks is Cummins’ main partner in the CIS states. More than 6,000 BELAZ vehicles powered by Cummins engines have been sold to Russia and other CIS states.