Primportbunker, the owner of the vessel the crew members said made the transfers, did not respond to requests for comment by telephone. It then met up in international waters with a North Korean vessel to which it transferred its cargo of fuel, the two crew members who witnessed the transfers said. The two crew said the fuel transfers took place when the Tantal’s transponder, which allows the vessel to be tracked at sea, was not operating. The two crew members who spoke to Reuters did not cite any evidence that sanctions were violated on these three voyages. The two crew members who spoke to Reuters said they had not always been paid their wages on time.

Source: bd News24 February 26, 2019 09:00 UTC