Russia-origin Fuel Tanker Arrives in Venezuelan Waters
A tanker carrying some 200,000 barrels of Russia-origin fuel originally bound for Cuba has arrived in Venezuelan waters, LSEG ship-monitoring data showed on Friday. The Hong Kong-flagged vessel Sea Horse had been stuck in the Atlantic Ocean for weeks before rerouting to Venezuela.
The Sea Horse loaded Russia-origin diesel through a ship-to-ship transfer earlier this year and was en route to Cuba when it changed course. It is unclear why the tanker was stranded at sea or why it decided to head to Venezuela instead.
The arrival of the Sea Horse in Venezuelan waters comes as the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump continues to authorize fuel supplies only to Cuba‘s private sector, while strictly blocking any oil imports by Cuba’s government. This has exacerbated a long-standing energy crisis on the island, including power blackouts and shortages of gasoline, diesel, cooking gas, and jet fuel.
Another Russia-origin Cargo En Route to Cuba
As of Friday, another Russia-origin cargo was en route to Cuba on the U.S.-sanctioned tanker Anatoly Kolodkin. The vessel departed from Russia’s Primorsk port carrying some 650,000 barrels of crude and could reach Cuban waters over the weekend if it does not reroute or slow down.
Humanitarian Aid Vessels Missing
Separately, two vessels carrying humanitarian aid to Cuba from Mexico were reported missing on Thursday after they failed to arrive in Havana as scheduled. The vessels, which were carrying medicines and energy-related goods, have been unable to communicate with authorities and their status remains unclear.
The developments come amid ongoing tensions between the United States and Cuba over oil imports. The U.S. blockade has had significant impacts on Cuba’s energy sector, leading to power outages and fuel shortages.
Original Article: Russia-origin fuel tanker bound for Cuba arrived in Venezuelan waters, ship data shows | Reuters — Reuters