All PSC-inspected N. Korean ships have deficiencies: report

By a2017001

Published : May 18, 2017 - 13:15 Updated : May 18, 2017 - 13:15

All North Korean ships, which underwent safety inspections at ports in the Asia-Pacific region last year, were found to have had deficiencies, a US broadcaster said Thursday.

"North Korea recorded a 100 percent deficiency rate in safety inspections at Asia-Pacific ports last year," Voice of America said, citing the 2016 Annual Report on Port State Control.

A North Korean freighter enters into South Korea's western port of Incheon on Nov. 16, 2016. (Yonhap)

The Port State Control Committee of the Memorandum of Understanding on PSC in the Asia-Pacific Region in Tokyo recently released the report. Tokyo MOU, one of regional PSC organizations, aims to eliminate sub-standard shipping, to promote maritime safety and security, and to safeguard seafarers' working conditions. It has 20 full members, including South Korea, China, Australia, Canada and Chile.

According to the report, a total of 275 North Korean vessels received PSC inspections last year, with a total of 2,278 deficiencies discovered. The figure means each ship had 8.3 deficiencies on average, the broadcaster said.

In addition, 25 ships, or 9.09 percent were forced to stop operation until they took steps to correct defects, the broadcaster said, adding that North Korea was consequently put on the PSC blacklist. (Yonhap)