North Korea’s Nampo Port Sees Frequent Tanker Traffic, Raising Suspicions of Sanctions-Busting Fuel Imports

North Korea’s Nampo port has seen tanker traffic at a pace that could indicate refined-petroleum imports far beyond the United Nations sanctions limit.

An analysis of satellite images taken by Planet Labs from January 1 through August 25 identified at least 45 tankers or suspected tankers visiting the oil-handling facility. The vessels appeared at an average interval of five to six days.

Using the U.N. sanctions experts’ estimate that a tanker typically carries between 10,000 and 30,000 barrels, the 45 vessels could have transported between 450,000 and 1.35 million barrels of fuel. The upper estimate is well above the 500,000-barrel annual ceiling set by Security Council Resolution 2397, adopted in 2017.

The actual number of vessels may be higher. Clouds and other weather conditions can prevent ships from appearing in satellite images, while some vessels may enter or leave outside the image collection times.

The Nampo facility has previously been identified by the U.N. Security Council’s North Korea sanctions experts as a site where refined petroleum obtained through sanctions evasion was unloaded. Neil Watts, a former member of the expert panel, said the latest reporting he knew of showed North Korea importing roughly seven times its limit. “The current situation is effectively the same as North Korea facing no restrictions at all on importing fuel,” he told VOA.

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The current situation is effectively the same as North Korea facing no restrictions at all on importing fuel.