A North Korean ship sailed between Chinese and North Korean coal terminals last week, data from the NK Pro vessel tracker and satellite imagery shows, despite the Chinese government having banned imports of DPRK coal for the remainder of 2017.

While the direction of the trade is difficult to ascertain conclusively, data from Marine Traffic indicates the vessel was sitting lower in the water while in China than on the return to North Korea, implying the ship was offloading cargo.

Chinese trade statistics also show that, historically, coal exports from Hebei Province – where Tangshan is located