Venezuela's Stealth Carriers: A New Route to China Amid Oil Sanctions

Venezuela authorized two supertankers to head to China, marking the second and third such departures since a U.S. seizure last week. Although these vessels are not on the U.S. sanctions list, they plan to sail with transponders off, joining the 'shadow fleet' possibly facing U.S. scrutiny.

In a defiantly strategic move, Venezuela has approved the departure of two enormous crude carriers set to navigate towards China. According to sources familiar with the operations, these departures are significant as they follow the recent U.S. seizure of another vessel carrying Venezuelan oil.

These tankers are notably absent from the U.S. sanctions list, allowing them a rare opportunity to transport approximately 1.9 million barrels of Merey heavy crude each, as per PDVSA's internal documents. They plan their voyage discreetly, opting for offline tracking from Venezuela's main oil-exporting hub, Jose.

This development highlights an ongoing trend where vessels, often part of an expansive 'shadow fleet,' bypass conventional routes. They operate under a veil of false positioning to facilitate the transport of oil from sanctioned countries like Venezuela, Iran, and Russia, sidestepping U.S. sanctions yet remaining under close scrutiny.

(With inputs from agencies.)