North Korean ships appear to conduct ‘odd’ fuel transfer in waters off Japan



Investigations North Korean ships appear to conduct ‘odd’ fuel transfer in waters off Japan Tokyo didn’t take action against vessels that entered its EEZ, despite recently seizing Chinese fishing boat Anton Sokolin February 20, 2026 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON The DPRK's Chon Ma San oil tanker in Feb. 2018 \| Image: Japan's Defense Ministry A sanctioned North Korean tanker likely refueled another DPRK ship in waters off Japan’s coast this month, maritime data shows, with Tokyo refraining from seizing the vessels that entered its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The Chon Ma San (IMO 8660313) oil tanker appeared to carry out the ship-to-ship fuel transfer with the Mo Ran Bong 2 (IMO 8357112) bulker around 20 miles east of Japan’s western Dogojima Island at around 9 a.m. KST on Feb. 3, according to ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic. While the DPRK-flagged vessels did not enter Japan’s territorial waters — which extend to roughly 14 miles Read More © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. LATEST ANALYSIS 01Likely Russian ship docks in North Korea’s Rason port for first time since May 02Trump doesn’t need a grand deal with Kim, but rather small coordinated actions 03North Korean trade with China rises 3.7% in August thanks to wig exports: data 04North Korea tensions expose Seoul’s uneasy relationship with UN Command 05North Korea’s politburo meeting hints at secret changes to senior officials 06The bureaucracy test: Signs to look for before a Trump-Kim summit 07China has reasons to like Trump’s North Korea outreach — and reasons to worry 08North Korea’s old alliance with Tanzania quietly finds new life 09North Korea has named its price for reopening UK’s embassy in Pyongyang 10Why Trump’s new counter-cybercrime model curiously leaves out North Korea

Investigations

North Korean ships appear to conduct ‘odd’ fuel transfer in waters off Japan

Tokyo didn’t take action against vessels that entered its EEZ, despite recently seizing Chinese fishing boat

Anton Sokolin February 20, 2026

North Korean ships appear to conduct ‘odd’ fuel transfer in waters off Japan

The DPRK's Chon Ma San oil tanker in Feb. 2018 | Image: Japan's Defense Ministry

A sanctioned North Korean tanker likely refueled another DPRK ship in waters off Japan’s coast this month, maritime data shows, with Tokyo refraining from seizing the vessels that entered its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The Chon Ma San (IMO 8660313) oil tanker appeared to carry out the ship-to-ship fuel transfer with the Mo Ran Bong 2 (IMO 8357112) bulker around 20 miles east of Japan’s western Dogojima Island at around 9 a.m. KST on Feb. 3, according to ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic.

While the DPRK-flagged vessels did not enter Japan’s territorial waters — which extend to roughly 14 miles

LATEST ANALYSIS

01Likely Russian ship docks in North Korea’s Rason port for first time since May
02Trump doesn’t need a grand deal with Kim, but rather small coordinated actions
03North Korean trade with China rises 3.7% in August thanks to wig exports: data
04North Korea tensions expose Seoul’s uneasy relationship with UN Command
05North Korea’s politburo meeting hints at secret changes to senior officials
06The bureaucracy test: Signs to look for before a Trump-Kim summit
07China has reasons to like Trump’s North Korea outreach — and reasons to worry
08North Korea’s old alliance with Tanzania quietly finds new life
09North Korea has named its price for reopening UK’s embassy in Pyongyang
10Why Trump’s new counter-cybercrime model curiously leaves out North Korea

North Korean ships appear to conduct ‘odd’ fuel transfer in waters off Japan

LATEST ANALYSIS

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Anton Sokolin