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Loaded tanker forced back to Venezuelan waters as US blockade tightens
A fully loaded Panama-flagged oil tanker has returned to Venezuelan waters after the United States intensified its maritime blockade targeting the country’s oil exports. The vessel, initially bound for foreign ports, reversed course following reports that the U.S. Coast Guard intercepted several tankers in the Caribbean, marking a significant escalation in Washington’s campaign to restrict Venezuela’s oil trade.
According to maritime tracking data from TankerTrackers.com, the vessel Kelly carrying Venezuelan crude returned to anchor near the state-run oil company PDVSA’s Amuay port. Its companion ship, the Centuries, was reportedly stopped by U.S. forces while transporting close to two million barrels of heavy crude, the first interception of a non-sanctioned vessel under the latest restrictions.
More than a dozen loaded tankers are now immobilized in Venezuelan waters awaiting instructions from their owners, triggering a severe storage crisis that threatens domestic oil production. Onshore tanks at PDVSA’s key export hub, the Jose terminal, have exceeded 12 million barrels of crude, according to energy data analytics firm Kpler, creating bottlenecks in the flow of petroleum from the Orinoco Belt.
The accumulation has forced PDVSA to use additional tankers as floating storage, while buyers hesitate to complete shipments to long-standing Asian customers such as China. Industry sources report that some clients have attempted to return cargoes over fears of U.S. penalties, complicating Venezuela’s efforts to maintain its export commitments.
In response, Venezuela’s National Assembly approved a new law introducing penalties of up to 20 years in prison for individuals or entities accused of aiding external blockades or acts of maritime piracy against national interests. President Nicolás Maduro is expected to sign the legislation soon. The government has also ordered the navy to escort all departing oil vessels, a move that underscores Chávez’s successor’s defiance of Washington’s crackdown and raises tensions in the region.
Despite the blockade, the U.S. company Chevron continues limited operations in Venezuela under a special Treasury Department license. Its joint ventures with PDVSA still export roughly 240,000 barrels per day, representing about a quarter of Venezuela’s oil output. Maduro reaffirmed that these deliveries will proceed uninterrupted despite Washington’s heightened pressure.
