According to recent ship tracking data, the Russian oil tanker Seahorse made its way into Venezuelan waters on November 23, indicating that earlier reports of a U.S. Navy blockade may have been overstated.
In mid-November, the Seahorse, which has previously transported naphtha from Russia, changed its course after encountering the USS Stockdale in close proximity to Venezuela. The Stockdale had been deployed to the Caribbean since September as part of an initiative aimed at bolstering anti-narcotics efforts in the region.
The tanker set sail from Cuba’s Port of Matanzas on November 9 but altered its route on November 14 upon nearing the Stockdale. Following this encounter, it cautiously approached Venezuelan waters twice more on November 16 and 17 before again changing direction due to U.S. naval presence. After several days navigating international waters, it appears that the vessel successfully reached Puerto José’s oil loading complex over the weekend.
The Seahorse is part of what is often referred to as Russia’s “shadow fleet,” facing sanctions from both the EU and UK; however, it remains unsanctioned by the U.S.’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Reports suggest that this tanker is transporting naphtha-a light distillate essential for diluting Venezuela’s extra-heavy crude prior to export.
While analysts speculate that movements by the USS Stockdale were intended as a deterrent against illicit activities in these waters, they do not constitute a formal blockade according to current interpretations of maritime law.
The Southern Command of the U.S. military has refrained from confirming whether they actively blocked or merely monitored the tanker’s movements during this period. There remains considerable ambiguity regarding U.S. engagement rules in Caribbean operations following numerous actions taken against vessels suspected of drug trafficking activities.
So far, both Moscow and Caracas have kept silent about their strategies concerning these maritime encounters and have not indicated how ongoing naval operations might affect future activities involving Russia’s shadow fleet.
