[EN-SEA] "CMA CGM" Embroiled in DPRK Arms Scandal

New York: French liner firm CMA-CGM has been implicated in a Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK aka North Korea) arms trading scandal. South Africa has filed a report, seen by the Associated Press, to the United Nations claiming authorities in Durban have confiscated two containers carrying North Korean tank parts hidden among a rice shipment which were bound for the Republic of Congo.

Last June, the UN Security Council increased sanctions against North Korea, banning the export of all weapons and authorizing ship searches on the high seas to try and curb the so called Hermit Kingdom’s nascent nuclear ambitions.

The South Africans traced the shipment from the DGE Corporation via the "Machinery Expand Imp Corp (cq)," both established to be in North Korea, to the Chinese port of  Dalian where it was put on board the CGM Musca on October 20.

The bill of lading described the contents of the two containers in question as "spare parts of bulldozer," according to the report.

At Port Klang, Malaysia, the shipment was transferred to another vessel, the Westerhever, which was chartered by Delmas Shipping, a subsidiary of the French shipping company, CMA-CGM, the report said.

Delmas requested that CMA-CGM Shipping Agencies South Africa (Pty) Ltd. represent the Westerhever on its voyage to South Africa.

CMA-CGM said it was cooperating with authorities as the investigation continues.

Source : STA-Online, 26.02.10.