The Sea Horse ship flying the Hong Kong (China) flag previously received goods through transshipment from ship to ship in the Mediterranean and then left in the direction of the Caribbean Sea, according to data from the surveillance service TankerTrackers. com. Based on speed and route, the ship is expected to dock in Cuban waters this week.
According to maritime tracking data and analysis by maritime intelligence agency Kpler, the Sea Horse ship carried nearly 200,000 barrels of fuel, likely diesel. The oil is believed to originate from Russia, although neither Moscow nor Havana has officially confirmed it.
Hongkong Hangda Shipping LTD - a unit listed by the maritime database as the owner and manager of the Sea Horse ship.
On the same day, the US Treasury Department said it would allow companies to apply for licenses to resell Venezuelan oil to Cuba, according to instructions posted on the agency's website. The move is said to help reduce fuel shortages in Cuba.
Since the beginning of January, when the US controlled Venezuela's oil exports after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was arrested, supply from the South American country to Cuba has stopped.
This exacerbates the energy crisis in Cuba, affecting power generation as well as fuel for vehicles, households and aviation.
For more than 25 years, Venezuela has been the main supplier of crude oil and fuel to Cuba under bilateral agreements largely based on the form of goods and services exchange.
Mexico - once emerging as an alternative supplier - has also stopped delivering since the fuel trip to Havana port in January, according to sea transport data.
Large trading groups such as Vitol and Trafigura currently handle most of Venezuela's oil exports, with millions of barrels exported to the US, Europe and India, along with large amounts stored in Caribbean ports for resale.
US President Donald Trump declared that Venezuela's allies receiving oil in the form of swaps, debt repayment or other agreements will have to pay at market prices. These countries include China and Cuba.
However, even with the new policy, Cuba's ability to pay for oil blocks under normal trade terms is still unclear. In recent years, Cuba has faced difficulties in paying for fuel purchases on the spot market, while potential transactions may require bank guarantees and cash payments.
The US Treasury Department's guidelines state that transactions must support Cuban people, including the private sector and commercial and humanitarian purposes. Transactions related to or benefiting the Cuban military or other state agencies will not be approved.
US pressure on Venezuela and Cuba has made many fuel shipments unable to be delivered since December, exacerbating the shortage of electricity and fuel in Cuba.
A ship related to Cuba carrying Venezuelan gasoline in early February is still anchored in Venezuelan waters awaiting port departure permits. Since January, no oil shipment has left Venezuela without US permission.
