North Korea’s main shipyard christens first known cargo ship in nearly 5 years

North Korea has launched a new cargo ship, state media reported on Friday, marking a rare addition to the country’s aging merchant fleet.

According to the official Rodong Sinmun newspaper, the 12,000-ton Jang Su San departed Ryongnam Shipyard on Thursday. Several high-ranking party officials attended the ceremony, including Kang Jong Gwan, minister of the Ministry of Land and Maritime Transport, and O Su Yong, economic secretary of the ruling party’s Central Committee.

With few exceptions, international maritime convention requires most merchant ships to obtain an International Maritime Organization (IMO) number, a unique identifier