The seized North Korean cargo ship MV Jin Teng has received a notice of asset freeze from the Philippine Coast Guard, local media reported.
The station commander of the Subic Philippine Coast Guard said that the captain of the 1997-built cargo vessel did not object the notice.
The notice comes in response of the new, stricter sanctions imposed against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), by which all United Nations members are directed to freeze the funds, assets and economic resources, found in their territories, that might be used for North Korea’s weapons program.
MV Jin Teng, the first North Korean vessel to be inspected in the Philippines following the adoption of harsher sanctions, was seized by Philippine authorities last week, while the officials decided that the vessel’s 21 crew members would be deported.
The cargo vessel was inspected in the Subic Bay after it arrived from Balembang, Indonesia on March 3.
Although the coast guard personnel did not find any suspicious materials aboard the 6,830 dwt ship, carrying a cargo of palm kernel expeller, MV Jin Teng was detained in Olongapo port due to safety issues.
Following the adoption of harsher sanctions against North Korea on March 2, due to the country’s ongoing nuclear and ballistic missile-related activities, the country was hit with further sanctions related to its maritime industry last week.
Namely, South Korea announced a total ban on vessels that stopped at North Korean ports over past 180 days amid Seoul’s measures aimed at strengthening maritime-related controls at the country’s ports.
World Maritime News Staff