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Abstract

The maritime industry is pivotal to global trade and economy; however, it is vulnerable to exploitation by illicit actors, threatening international security and economic stability. This dissertation examines North Korea’s evasion of maritime sanctions, focusing on two key deceptive practices: VIL and the use of FOCs. North Korea, under extensive UN and state-imposed sanctions due to its nuclear weapons development, employs these practices to obscure vessel ownership and its cargo origins and destinations, thereby circumventing sanctions and securing financial resources for its weapons programme. VIL involves altering a vessel’s registered, digital, and physical identities to evade detection, while FOCs entails registering vessels in countries with lenient regulations to hide true ownership and facilitate illicit activities.
The study identifies the challenges faced by the CJS when enforcing maritime sanctions due to a lack of comprehensive research on these illicit activities. This dearth hinders the development of effective detection and countermeasures against these evasive tactics. This dissertation uses a qualitative methodology, a literature review, and a detailed case study analysis to investigate how VIL and FOCs impact the enforcement of sanctions. Finally, it proposes practical strategies to enhance CJS effectiveness when addressing these challenges.
Recommendations include: tightening the IMO registration processes; implementing tamper-resistant AIS transponders; regular audits; physical inspections; a centralised global registry of beneficial ownership; fostering international cooperation and capacity building among maritime authorities to strengthen regulatory frameworks and enforcement capabilities. By addressing the identified vulnerabilities in maritime practices, this research aims to enhance global maritime security, ensuring effective enforcement of international sanctions regimes, and maintaining the integrity of global shipping protocols.

Course: Criminal Justice - MSc - C2681F

Date Deposited: 2024-11-21

URI/permalink: https://library.port.ac.uk/dissert/dis14563.html