The Hyperion tanker, sanctioned by the United States for carrying Russian oil, may be the first ship to test President Donald Trump’s naval blockade of Venezuela.
The vessel recently arrived in Amuay, home to Venezuela’s largest refinery complex, according to vessel movements tracked by Bloomberg.
She loaded supplies in Russia’s Murmansk in late November, data show.
The Barbados-flagged vessel was consecrated by the US Treasury in January. The US says they are part of a fleet of so-called ghost vessels used to support Russia’s energy sector by moving oil and petroleum products in ships that sail undetected because they often turn off and falsify transponder signals.
Russia, a longtime ally of Venezuela, has been supplying the country with diluents, the petroleum feedstock used to dilute Venezuela’s tar-like crude to make oil suitable for refineries.
This week, Trump said US forces would implement a full blockade of sanctioned oil tankers to and from Venezuela as he seeks to deprive President Nicolás Maduro of oil revenue as part of a plan to oust him. When he made the announcement, the Hyperion was near Grenada and approaching the Venezuelan coast. It entered Venezuelan waters on Thursday night.
After unloading, it is unclear whether the ship will leave port or remain in Venezuelan waters to avoid boarding by US forces, which would cause heavy losses to the owner. Last week, the US military seized the supertanker Skipper, which is currently off the coast of Mexico as it approaches the US.
Trump said he is not ruling out war with Venezuela, NBC reported Friday, citing a phone conversation with the president. Asked if US military strikes could lead to war, he said: “I’m not talking about that.
Meanwhile, Chevron Corp’s exports of Venezuelan oil continued unhindered as two ships were scheduled to leave port on Friday after loading nearly 1 million barrels of oil, according to a person familiar with the situation. The unauthorized ships Minerva Astra and Searuby are sailing for delivery to US ports, said the person, who asked not to be named because the information is private. The oil major has another tanker ready to load in the coming days.
“Chevron’s operations in Venezuela continue without interruption and in full compliance with the laws and regulations applicable to its business, as well as the sanctions frameworks established by the U.S. government,” the Houston-based company said in a written response to questions.
With the help of Patricia Garip.
This article was generated from an automated news agency source without text modification.
