HOUSTON: According to ship tracking data, a tanker subject to U.S. sanctions carrying about 300,000 barrels of naphtha from Russia entered Venezuelan waters late on Thursday, while another started rerouting course in the Atlantic Ocean. This was a result of conflicting last-minute decisions made by ship owners following President Donald Trump’s order earlier this week to “blockade” oil tankers under sanctions headed for the OPEC nation.
Following the U.S. seizure of an oil ship off the coast of Venezuela earlier in December, the action increased pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by focusing on the nation’s primary source of income. After a week-long halt, vessels exempt from the sanctions started sailing from Venezuelan waters on Wednesday, assisting in the depletion of the nation’s growing crude reserves.
According to LSEG ship monitoring data, the Gambia-flagged medium tanker Hyperion docked at Amuay Bay on the western coast of Venezuela on Friday. In late November, it loaded close to Murmansk, Russia. Compared with the tanker the United States detained on December 10, the ship has a different sanctions profile under U.S. sanctions targeting Russia.
Also Read:
Saudi–Pakistan Meeting Highlights Joint Action Plan Against Drug Smuggling
Dana Odeh: Empowering Ethical Fashion Through Rock N Shine
