At least two supertankers, not under sanctions, departed Venezuelan waters carrying crude oil, according to Tankertrackers.com and PDVSA shipping records. Venezuela’s oil exports had been nearly halted since mid-December, following a blockade by the U.S. against sanctioned vessels.
U.S. forces recently seized five Venezuela-linked vessels to apply pressure on President Nicolas Maduro’s government. In response, Washington is drafting a $100 billion reconstruction plan for Venezuela’s oil sector, which includes a 50-million-barrel deal to supply Venezuelan crude to the U.S. and other markets.
The Panama-flagged supertankers, Kelly and Marbella, both controlled by PDVSA, left the Amuay anchorage carrying approximately 1.8 million barrels each of Venezuelan Merey heavy crude. The destinations of these cargoes and their connection to the U.S. supply deal remain unclear.
Global traders Vitol and Trafigura recently obtained U.S. licenses to negotiate Venezuelan oil cargoes as part of a deal valued at around $2 billion. PDVSA has not yet commented on the situation.
Share it now
