Large vessels have been frequenting Nampo Port, North Korea’s primary coal handling facility, approximately once every five days this year. Satellite imagery has corroborated recent allegations by the U.S. government and international community regarding North Korea’s illicit coal exports.
Voice of America (VOA) reported on Wednesday that analysis of satellite images from Planet Labs revealed 30 large vessels, each exceeding 100 meters in length, entered Nampo Port between January 1 and June 2 of this year.
VOA stated that most of these ships were observed carrying dark cargo, presumed to be coal. The most recent satellite imagery from Tuesday captured a 132-meter (about 433 feet) vessel docked with five open cargo holds, its surrounding area stacked with black material.
Furthermore, Airbus satellite imagery from February, available on Google Earth, showed two large vessels loading suspected coal cargo, with a nearby expansive storage yard filled with what appeared to be substantial coal deposits.
North Korea has been under a comprehensive ban on mineral exports, including coal, since the United Nations (UN) Security Council adopted Resolution 2371 in 2017. This resolution aimed to cut off coal exports, a significant source of foreign currency for the regime.
Nampo Port is widely recognized as a crucial coal loading site in North Korea. Previously, the U.S. government intercepted and seized the North Korean cargo ship Wise Honest after it attempted to export coal from Nampo Port to a third country.
While the presence of vessels at a coal-handling port doesn’t conclusively prove coal exports, the repeated docking of large ships at a facility known for handling UN-sanctioned coal is noteworthy.
VOA suggested that the actual number of vessels entering and exiting Nampo Port could be higher, considering days with limited visibility due to cloud cover or lack of satellite imagery.
This activity aligns with recent concerns raised by the U.S. and its allies regarding North Korea’s efforts to evade maritime sanctions.
The U.S. State Department announced on May 29 that the U.S., South Korea, Japan, ten other nations, and the European Union (EU) issued a joint statement calling for swift sanctions against vessels involved in North Korea’s maritime sanctions evasion.
The statement welcomed evidence presented in April by the Open Source Center (OSC), a private analysis organization, which indicated ongoing violations of the North Korean coal export ban based on satellite imagery and port analysis data.
Jennifer Rosetta, Deputy U.S. Ambassador to the UN, criticized these activities during an April 30 UN Security Council meeting. She stated that vessels carrying North Korean coal and iron ore were violating Resolution 2371, particularly by sailing to China, and emphasized that the revenue from these exports directly funds North Korea’s illegal nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.
