Sanctioned tankers leave Venezuela as US tightens oil blockade

Based on satellite imagery, shipping data, and information from industry sources, four of the vessels were tracked sailing east of the Venezuelan coast while disguising their identities or falsifying their locations, a tactic known as spoofing. The remaining 12 tankers stopped broadcasting tracking signals altogether and have not been located in subsequent satellite imagery, the report said on Monday.

It added that 15 of the 16 ships that were on the move on Saturday were under US sanctions for previously hauling Iranian and Russian oil.

Industry sources said the four tracked ships departed without authorization from Venezuela’s interim authorities overseeing the oil sector. All had been anchored at export terminals for weeks before leaving over the weekend.

The US imposed a “complete blockade” on sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers on Dec. 16, aiming to cut off revenue flows. US officials say enforcement focuses on sanctioned “shadow fleet” vessels, while allowing limited exports by US firms.

Since the blockade began, US forces have seized or intercepted several tankers attempting to transport Venezuelan crude oil.

According to the report, Venezuela is under pressure to move its crude as storage facilities have been nearing capacity since the blockade, while shutting down production risks damaging oil reservoirs and infrastructure.