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Monitoring and surveillance activities by France and Canada against illicit maritime activities including STS oil transfer

10 May 2023

French and Canadian authorities are on the lookout for illegal bunkering or illegal ship-to-ship fuel transfer amongst other activities involving North-Korean flagged vessels, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan recently.

The ministry said both countries have engaged in monitoring and surveillance activities against illicit maritime activities, including ship-to-ship transfers with North Korean-flagged vessels prohibited by the United Nations Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs).

According to a statement by the ministry, after early April, French Navy frigate Prairial conducted monitoring and surveillance activities against illicit maritime activities, including ship-to-ship transfers with North Korean-flagged vessels prohibited by UNSCRs in waters surrounding Japan including the East China Sea. It was the fifth time for the French Navy to engage in such activities since 2019.

In another statement, the ministry said from early April to mid-May, Canada have been engaged in monitoring and surveillance activities by aircraft against illicit maritime activities, including ship-to-ship transfers with North Korean-flagged vessels prohibited by UNSCRs, using Kadena Air Base under the Agreement Regarding the Status of the United Nations Forces in Japan. It will be the ninth time for such activities to take place since 2018.

The ministry added the Japan Coast Guard and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force are also conducting information gathering activities for vessels suspected to be in violation of the UNSCRs, and Japan will work closely with related countries.

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Photo credit: CHUTTERSNAP from Unsplash
Published: 10 May, 2023

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