The crude oil tanker Seahorse finally managed to reach Venezuela on November 23, after first encountering the obstacle of the US Navy warship USS Stockdale at least three times. The tanker is reported to be carrying naphtha.
The Seahorse is a Comoros-flagged tanker built in 2004. It is 228.5 meters long, 32.30 meters wide, and has a gross tonnage of 39,307. The ship belongs to the Russian shadow fleet and has been sanctioned by the United Kingdom and the European Union.
The tanker departed from the port of Matanzas in Cuba on November 9, bound for Venezuela. It was blocked at least three times by the US warship USS Stockdale.
Having no other option, the tanker was forced to turn back and sail into international waters. It then made two consecutive attempts on November 16 and 17 to approach Venezuela again, but was blocked once more by the USS Stockdale.
The ship finally reached its destination, which was the oil terminal at Puerto José in Venezuela, on November 23.
So far, there has been no official statement from the US government, and it remains unknown why the warship ultimately allowed the tanker to approach Venezuela.
