Improved ship-tracking coverage over North Korea’s west coast has allowed for the discovery of two new North Korea-linked oil tankers, one of which was apparently added to the DPRK’s fleet this year.

The new additions indicate the DPRK has been quietly expanding its oil fleet in recent years, with six new ships transporting oil products to North Korean terminals since 2011.

The newest member of the fleet – called the Yongwon – looks to be now moving oil products between Russia’s far-eastern terminals and the DPRK’s west coast, according to AIS tracking data from