China appears to have resumed coal imports from North Korea recently after lifting a month-long suspension, VOA reported Wednesday.

Three North Korean ships were seen anchored about 10 km from Qinhuangdao, China's leading coal trading port, from Sunday through Tuesday, VOA said quoting ship tracking website MarineTraffic.

The Kumrung No. 5, Kumsan and Wonsan No. 2 are all coal bulk carriers. Two other North Korean ships are berthed at the Chinese ports of Longkou and Penglai, according to the website, and another two wait in waters 2 km and 10 km from Longkou.

The ports closest to these ships are all stacked with huge piles of black material that looks like coal, VOA added.

Last month, Beijing announced it was halting coal imports from the North until the end of the month in compliance with a new UN Security Council resolution. That left North Korean ships marooned in international waters.

The resolution stipulates that total exports of North Korean coal must not exceed US$400 million or 7.5 million tons per year, whichever is lower.

Under the new curbs, the North's annual coal exports estimated at some $1.1 billion will dwindle by about $700 million.