According to industry sources, two oil tankers linked to Venezuela’s oil sector have been detained in the Dutch Caribbean due to significant safety and compliance violations discovered during inspections. The Caribbean Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control (CMOU) reported that the tanker Regina was held in Curacao, while Morning Sun was detained in St. Eustatius. Both vessels, having previously transported Venezuelan oil, underwent scrutiny after docking at ports noted for strict enforcement policies.
The case of Regina raises particular concerns, as it arrived under the guise of being registered with East Timor, a nation that lacks an international shipping registry. East Timor has previously called for investigations into vessels that misrepresent their flags. Ongoing inquiries are examining both the vessel’s condition and its flag registration status. Furthermore, it was noted that Regina has been involved in transporting oil through an arrangement between Trafigura and the U.S., posing potential setbacks for Curacao’s aspirations to become a trading hub for Venezuelan crude.
On the other hand, the Morning Sun underwent scrutiny from Dutch inspectors who identified numerous technical deficiencies, including issues with fire doors and the functionality of its fire pump. Built in 1996 and flagged in Panama, the ship had not been inspected outside Venezuela since 2018. Dutch authorities determined that Morning Sun could not set sail due to an excessive number of unresolved issues. While some compliant tankers are beginning to service Venezuelan ports, older vessels linked to shadow operations continue to make shipments.
