Sanctioned tankers attempt to evade US oil blockade off Venezuelan coast
At least 16 oil tankers under U.S. sanctions have left Venezuelan ports, employing deceptive tactics to circumvent an American naval blockade on the country's oil exports. Most of the vessels had previously transported Iranian and Russian crude, according to a New York Times report.
A fleet of sanctioned oil tankers has reportedly attempted to evade a U.S. naval blockade by leaving Venezuelan ports using covert navigation tactics. According to a New York Times investigation based on satellite and shipping data, at least 16 vessels departed recently, with most having a history of hauling Iranian and Russian oil.
Evasion tactics and missing vessels
The report details that four of the tankers were tracked sailing east of Venezuela's coast while disguising their identities or falsifying their locations through electronic "spoofing." The remaining 12 vessels stopped broadcasting their Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals entirely and have not been located in subsequent satellite imagery. Industry sources indicated that four of the ships left without authorization from interim authorities managing Venezuela's oil sector.
Context of the US blockade
The United States imposed a "complete blockade" on sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers on December 16, aiming to sever a critical revenue stream for the government in Caracas. Since then, U.S. forces have seized or intercepted several vessels attempting to transport Venezuelan crude. The blockade has created significant pressure, as Venezuela's onshore storage facilities near capacity, and shutting down production risks long-term damage to oil fields and infrastructure.
A high-stakes game of maritime cat-and-mouse
The movement of this "shadow fleet" underscores the challenges of enforcing comprehensive unilateral sanctions and blockades in global maritime trade. It highlights the emergence of sophisticated evasion techniques and a parallel shipping network that operates outside Western financial and logistical systems. For energy-importing nations like Türkiye, which rely on stable global markets, such disruptions and the militarization of trade routes underscore the volatility introduced by extraterritorial sanctions and the importance of diversified, secure energy supply chains.
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