Sixteen oil tankers depart from US

(MENAFN) At least 16 Venezuelan oil tankers subject to U.S. sanctions have departed the country’s ports in recent days, seemingly attempting to bypass a U.S.-enforced naval blockade targeting the nation’s crude exports. Satellite imagery, shipping data, and industry reports indicate that four of the vessels sailed east of Venezuela while disguising their identities or falsifying their locations—a tactic known as spoofing. The remaining 12 vessels ceased broadcasting tracking signals entirely and have not been located since.

Fifteen of the 16 moving tankers on Saturday had previously transported Iranian or Russian oil and were under U.S. sanctions. Industry insiders noted that the four tracked ships left without approval from Venezuela’s interim authorities overseeing the oil sector. All had been anchored at export terminals for several weeks prior to their departure over the weekend.

The United States imposed a “complete blockade” on sanctioned Venezuelan tankers on December 16, aiming to halt revenue flows from the country’s oil industry. Enforcement has focused on sanctioned vessels operating in the so-called “shadow fleet,” while allowing limited exports managed by U.S. companies. Since the blockade began, several tankers attempting to transport Venezuelan crude have been seized or intercepted by U.S. forces.

Venezuela faces increasing pressure to move its crude, as storage facilities are nearing capacity, while suspending production could damage reservoirs and infrastructure.

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