Vessels are now regularly traversing the Nampho-Dalian water route with an average turnaround of three and a half days between entering and leaving port, NK Pro analysis revealed this week, indicating a major scaling-down of quarantine measures at one of the DPRK’s busiest trade hubs in recent weeks.

An NK Pro audit of all automatic identification system (AIS)-transmitting vessels near Nampho between April 17 and May 12 showed at least nine vessels consistently entering or leaving port, with four vessels departing on April 23-25 and normal, short turnarounds upon their return — suggesting previous quarantine measures were lifted