A tanker initially destined for Cuba has redirected to Trinidad and Tobago amid a severe fuel shortage on the island, leading to power blackouts. The Hong Kong-flagged vessel, Sea Horse, loaded a diesel cargo earlier this year through a Mediterranean transfer before heading to the Caribbean. Originally, the Russian-origin cargo was meant for Cuba but had been adrift in the Atlantic since late February.
According to ship-tracking data from LSEG, the tanker is now en route to Trinidad, with an estimated arrival on Monday. The U.S. Treasury Department recently modified a waiver on Russian crude and petroleum sales to exclude transactions involving Cuba, North Korea, and Crimea, as part of efforts to control rising fuel prices amid ongoing Middle Eastern conflicts.
Cuba has faced persistent power outages, having received only two tankers at its ports this year. The island relies heavily on imported fuel oil and diesel for power generation, while gasoline remains tightly rationed and sold on the black market for significantly higher prices than the official rate. Meanwhile, Russia is reportedly discussing potential aid options with Cuba, though details remain scarce.
