The Cambodian government has seized a ship that visited North Korea on Thursday, along with the coal it was transporting, in a move to enforce international sanctions against Pyongyang. According to documents released by the Cambodian Ministry of Justice, the Cambodian Financial Intelligence Unit (CAFIU) froze the CSea Nine ship and its cargo of 4,800 tons of North Korean coal on May 26. The decision came after an investigation conducted by the Cambodian Maritime Police and CAFIU and was approved by the Minister of Law.
This action was taken in compliance with regulations on the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, established in 2020, which align with United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions. Resolution 2371 explicitly bans trading North Korean coal, while Resolution 2270 mandates inspections of cargo linked to North Korea.
The CSea Nine is a small cargo vessel originally built in 2004. According to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), its weight tonnage is 2,879 tons. Initially registered in China, the ship changed to Palau in March 2024, but it has been sailing without a flag since May. Thailand-based Trade Asia Logistics owns the vessel.
Neil Watts, a former maritime expert for the United Nations Security Council Panel of Experts (POE) on North Korea, told VOA, “It’s clear that North Korea is still illicitly exporting its coal, in clear violation of the UN resolutions.”
The seizure of the CSea Nine has raised the possibility of the U.S. government receiving the ship from Cambodia. A similar incident occurred in 2020 when Cambodian authorities detained the oil tanker Courageous for illegally shipping oil to North Korea. The vessel was eventually handed over to the U.S., and its owner, Kwek Kee Seng, faced charges for violating sanctions against North Korea.
This marks the second time Cambodia, a known ally of North Korea, has detained a ship for violating UNSC sanctions. Earlier this year, South Korea also detained two cargo vessels, one in March and another in June, for allegedly transporting goods in violation of sanctions against North Korea. Both incidents are under investigation.