Sanctioned Russian Tanker Delivers 730,000 Barrels To Cuba After U.S. Grants Rare Passage Approval

A Russian-flagged oil tanker carrying around 730,000 barrels of crude oil has docked at Cuba’s Matanzas port, marking the first oil delivery to the island in about three months.

The vessel, Anatoly Kolodkin, was allowed to proceed after the United States approved its passage, even though the ship is under sanctions.

The tanker had sailed from Russia’s Primorsk port and was tracked stopping in the mid-Atlantic earlier this month as uncertainty remained over whether it would be allowed to dock.

Cuba is facing a severe energy shortage, with long power cuts and limited access to fuel affecting daily life. It produces only about 40% of the fuel it needs and depends on imports to keep its power system running.

Experts say the crude oil delivered could produce about 180,000 barrels of diesel, which is enough to meet the country’s demand for around 9 to 10 days.

Cuban officials welcomed the shipment. Energy and Mines Minister Vicente de la O Levy thanked Russia for its support, saying the cargo arrived at a difficult time for the country’s energy situation.

Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío also commented that the arrival shows the pressure Cuba is facing due to restrictions.

People living near the port also watched the tanker arrive. Some said they had been waiting for a long time for such a shipment, as no ships had entered recently. Residents said the fuel is needed for the country and brings some relief amid ongoing shortages.

Cuba’s fuel crisis has worsened after key suppliers stopped sending oil. Supplies from Venezuela, which used to be Cuba’s main source, have been reduced. Mexico has also halted shipments after the U.S. warned it could impose tariffs on countries supplying oil to Cuba.

The decision to allow the tanker was made by the administration of Donald Trump. He said the U.S. had no issue with a shipment reaching Cuba, adding that the country needs resources to survive, even while criticising its leadership.

The White House later said such decisions would be taken on a case-by-case basis, including for humanitarian reasons, and that there is no overall change in sanctions policy.

The tanker is sanctioned by the United States, the European Union and the United Kingdom due to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The decision has been criticised by some U.S. lawmakers, European leaders, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who said it could benefit Russia.

The shipment is also significant because it is the first oil cargo to reach Cuba in more than two months, during a period when the country has introduced fuel rationing due to power shortages.

Earlier, the U.S. Treasury had issued a license that barred Cuba from receiving Russian oil, adding to the uncertainty around the tanker’s journey.

Despite the restrictions, the U.S. allowed this shipment to go through, saying there is no problem if oil is delivered to help the country meet basic needs.

References: Latimes, euronews