A Russian company issued an alert saying they were looking for an oil tanker to transport thousands of tons of oil to North Korea. Attention is given to the fact that oil trade between North Korea and Russia is clearly taking place even at the private level in a situation where the annual limit set by the United Nations has been exceeded. Reporter Ham Ji-ha reports.
Recently, a ‘Vessel Wanted Notice’ was distributed to shipping industry officials looking for an oil tanker to transport oil from Russia to North Korea.
A shipping broker commissioned by a Russian company, the carrier, distributed a notice to the industry via email, text messages, and WhatsApp messages.
According to the vessel notification confirmed by VOA, the carrier wishes to transport 7,000 to 8,000 tons of oil, the place of loading (POL) is Vostochny, Russia, and the place of unloading (POD) is Nampo, North Korea. Port specific information was also provided, including the draft, ie the depth of the water to the deepest point of the ship, up to 9m.
The notice states that the first shipment is desired ‘as soon as possible.’ Additionally, the second shipping schedule was listed as May 18th.
Considering that one tank truck can carry about 20 tons of liquid, the amount of oil going to North Korea is equivalent to about 400 tank trucks.
Using the conversion table released by the North Korea Sanctions Committee of the United Nations Security Council, 8,000 tons of oil is calculated to be approximately 60,000 barrels.
Refined oil, equivalent to about one-tenth of the annual limit set by the United Nations Security Council, goes to North Korea in only two cases. The Security Council limited North Korean refined oil imports to 500,000 barrels per year through Resolution 2397 on North Korea adopted in 2017.
Generally, when such a notice is issued, shipping companies or charterers who rent and operate ships around the world make an application to the broker, and the ship is then given the opportunity to ship with the best conditions.
The freight rate from the Far East of Russia to the West Sea of North Korea was reported to be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
A shipping industry official told VOA on the 7th, “We want the first shipment right away, and the second shipment schedule is scheduled for about 10 days, so you can see the schedule is very tight ,” adding, “We need to send oil to North Korea very urgently.” “It seems to be,” he said.
Recently, the US government announced that it would respond to related transactions, alleging that Russia supplied North Korea with refined oil that exceeded the Security Council’s annual limit.
White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby briefs on the 6th.
In particular, White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby revealed specific figures in a briefing on the 2nd, saying, “The amount of refined oil that Russia has provided to North Korea this year has already exceeded the set limit by the United Nations Security Council. “
[녹취: 커비 조정관] “Russia has been shipping refined petroleum to the DPRK. Loads of Russians have already pushed DPRK inputs above the UNSC mandate. In March alone, Russia sent more than 165,000 barrels of refined petroleum to the DPRK. “
He went on to note, “In March of last year alone, Russia sent more than 165,000 barrels of refined oil to North Korea,” and “Given the proximity of commercial ports between Russia and North Korea, Russia can continue to ship loads of such for an indefinite period.” in.
However, at the time, these transactions were actually being conducted at the government level, with North Korean oil tankers being mobilized.
However, the big difference this time is that a private company has given notice to a third country shipping company.
Attention is given to whether even private companies are trying to take advantage of the atmosphere of strengthening relations between North Korea and Russia and participate in blatant violations of Security Council resolutions.
Neil Watts, former member of the UN North Korea Sanctions Committee.
Neil Watts, a former South African Navy captain who served on the UN Security Council’s North Korea Sanctions Committee expert panel, said in a phone call with VOA on the 7th, “Any transfer that exceeds the annual limit should be considered is illegal.” (This notice ) “This is evidence that Russia is no longer abiding by the unanimous decisions of the United Nations to which it agreed.”
[녹취: 와츠 전 위원] “Any transfer above the cap should be considered illegal and is further evidence that the Russian government is no longer abiding by the UN resolution it originally agreed to, as all subsequent resolutions were unanimous.”
He then noted, “Since the five permanent members of the Security Council cannot reach an agreement in the Security Council, especially the Sanctions Committee Against North Korea 1718, further sanctions (on ships) seem impossible.”
[녹취: 와츠 전 위원] “And so that designation no longer seems possible, as the P5 can no longer agree in the Security Council, and specifically in the DPRK Committee, Committee 1718. Therefore, in terms of implementing the sanctions, it is now up to countries and bloc as the European Union is to include Russian ships on the sanctions list which clearly contravene the sanctions measures related to petroleum products.
“It is up to each country and coalition of countries, such as the European Union, to include Russian vessels in the sanctions list that violate sanctions related to refined oil products,” he said, adding that independent sanctions of “Like-minded” countries like the United States is the only way to prevent sanctions crimes It was presented as a means.
In fact, notices of shipping searches are spreading throughout the industry, but it remains to be seen whether any shipping companies will apply.
A shipping industry official said there may not be any ships that can easily go to North Korea as they have to call directly at ports.
The explanation is that there is widespread concern within the shipping industry that it could be subject to independent sanctions from some countries, including the United States.
Coal loading takes place at the Rajin Port dock, built as a North Korea-Russia cooperation project in July 2014. (file photo)
VOA previously secured a ‘Vessel Wanted Notice’ stating that it was looking for a vessel to load Russian coal from Rajin Port and transport it to China and Vietnam on several occasions in 2019 and 2020.
However, later VOA coverage showed that these Russian coals were not being loaded onto any ships. As shipping did not proceed, exports themselves were cancelled.
The US government has also promised to impose sanctions on those involved in transactions between Russia and North Korea.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said at a briefing on the 2nd, “The United States will continue to impose sanctions on those who enable the transfer of arms and refined oil between Russia and North Korea,” and added, “I announced new joint sanctions, Australia, the European Union, Japan, “We are cooperating with partners including Korea and the UK,” he said.
This is Hamjiha from VOA News.
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