The vessel, identified as the New Konk, is one of hundreds of ships in North Korea's shadow fleet. It switched off its Automatic Identification System (AIS) in the middle of the night, effectively disappearing from maritime tracking systems. The incident was detailed by researchers from the University of Sydney and the National University of Singapore, who tracked the ship as part of a broader investigation into North Korea's sanctions evasion tactics. The fleet relies on tactics such as sailing under different flags and going dark to avoid detection.
North Korean shadow fleet exposed: tanker goes dark in East China Sea
Tracking the New Konk reveals how sanctions evasion works
In April 2023, a North Korean-linked oil tanker sailing under a foreign flag abruptly stopped transmitting its location in the East China Sea, offering a glimpse into the operations of the country's shadow fleet that helps keep its economy afloat despite international sanctions.
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Analysis
Why This Matters
- Highlights ongoing sanctions evasion by North Korea.
- Demonstrates challenges in monitoring illegal maritime activities.
- Underscores the resilience of North Korea's economy under sanctions.
Background
North Korea faces comprehensive international sanctions over its nuclear and missile programs. To bypass these, it relies on a "shadow fleet" of ships that often change flags and disable tracking systems. The incident in April 2023 is one example among hundreds.
What to Watch
- Future tracking efforts by researchers and authorities.
- Potential responses from the UN or individual countries to close loopholes.
- Similar incidents that reveal the extent of the shadow fleet.
Sources
Checked
9 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 4 supported.
Show each claim
- Partly supportedThe North Korean shadow fleet has been “exposed.”The Conversation – Articles (AU): “We tracked a ship in North Korea’s shadow fleet. This is how it stays in the dark.”
- SupportedA tanker went dark in the East China Sea.The Conversation – Articles (AU): “It’s the middle of the night in April 2023 in the East China Sea. A North Korean-linked oil tanker, sailing under different country’s flag , suddenly goes dark.”
- Partly supportedTracking the New Konk reveals how sanctions evasion works.The Conversation – Articles (AU): “This is the story of one ship in North Korea’s fleet, the New Konk.”
- SupportedIn April 2023, a North Korean-linked oil tanker sailing under a foreign flag went dark in the East China Sea.The Conversation – Articles (AU): “It’s the middle of the night in April 2023 in the East China Sea. A North Korean-linked oil tanker, sailing under different country’s flag , suddenly goes dark.”
- SupportedThe incident offered a glimpse into the operations of a fleet that helps keep North Korea’s economy afloat despite international sanctions.The Conversation – Articles (AU): “This is just one of hundreds of ships in the North Korean shadow fleet that keeps the pariah state’s economy afloat in the face of international sanctions.”
- SupportedThe vessel was the New Konk, one of hundreds of ships in North Korea’s shadow fleet.The Conversation – Articles (AU): “This is just one of hundreds of ships in the North Korean shadow fleet that keeps the pariah state’s economy afloat in the face of international sanctions. This is the story of one ship in North Korea’s fleet, the New Konk.”
- Partly supportedThe ship switched off its AIS in the middle of the night, effectively disappearing from maritime tracking systems.The Conversation – Articles (AU): “It stops transmitting its location using the Automatic Identification System (AIS) machine that all larger commercial ships have on board. To the casual observer looking at a computer screen, it ceases to exist.”
- Not in the sourcesResearchers from the University of Sydney and the National University of Singapore tracked the ship as part of a broader investigation into North Korea’s sanctions-evasion tactics.The Conversation – Articles (AU): “This is the story of one ship in North Korea’s fleet, the New Konk.”
- Partly supportedThe fleet relies on sailing under different flags and going dark to avoid detection.The Conversation – Articles (AU): “A North Korean-linked oil tanker, sailing under different country’s flag , suddenly goes dark. It stops transmitting its location using the Automatic Identification System (AIS)”