The Russian oil tanker Anatoly Kolodkin, carrying a humanitarian cargo of 100,000 tons of crude oil, has arrived in Cuba, the Russian news agency Interfax reported today, citing the Russian Transport Ministry.
Interfax reported that the ship is expected to unload at the port of Matanzas.
According to the LSEG shipping data monitoring service, the ship is moving along Cuba’s northern coast after US President Donald Trump raised eyebrows yesterday, Sunday, regarding the blockade of oil shipments to the island, saying he “has no problem” sending any country crude.
Cuba needs imported oil to generate power and avoid further power cuts while gasoline sales continue to be rationed.
The US cut off Venezuelan oil exports to Cuba after it overthrew Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on January 3 and Trump had threatened to impose punitive tariffs on any other country sending crude to Cuba.
Mexico, Cuba’s largest oil supplier along with Venezuela, then halted shipments. As a result, Cuba has not received any oil tankers for three months, according to President Miguel Dias-Canel, intensifying the energy crisis that has led to a series of widespread power cuts in this country of 10 million people. Cuban health officials say the crisis has increased the risk of death for Cuban cancer patients, especially children.
