Almost 30 North Korean ships were detained at international ports so far this year for failing to meet regulatory standards, according to inspection data from the Tokyo MOU.

The data, which covers shipping data from the beginning of the year to November 28, saw the detention rate rebound for the first time in three years, with reasons cited including a lack of navigation tools, fire alarms, rescue boats, and pollution prevention equipment.

The 27 DPRK vessels detained in 2017 accounted for 11.7% of a total of 230 North Korean vessels inspected this year – an increase of 3.1% compared to last