North Korea hides the construction of an unknown ship
31 October, 2024 Construction of an unknown ship at the Nampo Shipyard in North Korea. October 2024. The DPRK.
Source: www.iiss.org North Korea has secretly started constructing a large surface warship. The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) released satellite images showing the ship's construction being walled off.
A series of tall pillars were erected in May 2024 alongside a slipway at the Nampo Shipyard on North Korea's west coast. In the following months, screen walls and a mesh roof were added, covering an area about 170 meters long and 30 meters wide.
Construction of an unknown ship at the Nampo Shipyard in North Korea. October 2024.
The DPRK. Source: www.iiss.org
The shielding is likely intended to disguise the assembly process from satellites. The hull and superstructure sections are visible on two adjacent parallel slipways.
Construction of an unknown ship at the Nampo Shipyard in North Korea.
October 2024. The DPRK. Source: www.iiss.org
It is unclear where these sections are being constructed before being moved for final assembly.
Although the Nampo Shipyard also manufactures several different types of commercial vessels, North Korea's efforts to hide information suggest that this is a secret project. This slipway has also been home to two recent navy-related projects: an Amnok-class corvette and the country's second underwater ballistic missile test platform.
Construction of an unknown ship at the Nampo Shipyard in North Korea. October 2024.
The DPRK. Source: www.iiss.org
Despite the addition of the mesh roof, satellite imagery still gives an idea of the ship's size, especially when segments of the roof are removed, presumably to facilitate crane access. The structure is likely to be approximately 15 meters wide.
This is one-third wider than the recent Amnok and Nampo class corvettes, which were the largest warships North Korea has built since the Najin class frigates in the 1970s.
A North Korean Amnok corvette with tail number 661, August 21, 2023.
Photo: kcna.kp
In 2023, North Korea launched a new nuclear submarine at a shipyard on its east coast.