US sanctions Russian shipping firms and vessels over North Korea violations

The US government has announced sanctions on two Russian shipping companies and six vessels over alleged business connections with North Korea.

Primorye Maritime Logistics and Gudzon Shipping are said to have been involved in ship-to-ship transfers of oil to North Korean ships, violating UN sanctions. Six Russian-flagged ships are also targeted in the latest sanctions, the Bella, Bogatyr, Neptun, Patriot, Partizan, and Sevastopol.

“Ship-to-ship transfers with North Korea-flagged vessels from Russia or elsewhere of any goods being supplied, sold, or transferred to or from (North Korea) are prohibited under the U.N. Security Council resolutions on North Korea and are sanctionable under U.S. law. Consequences for violating these sanctions will remain in place until we have achieved the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea.” U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement.

This month, the US also sanctioned Russian company Profinet and its director general for providing port services to North Korean-flagged ships.