Get our news on your inbox! x

Remember me Forgot password

MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, January 9th 2026 - 18:21 UTC

Tag: oil tankers

  • Thursday, January 8th 2026 - 10:20 UTC

    US keeps seizing tankers linked to Venezuela

    A vessel in the North Atlantic was renamed and re-flagged to Russia to deter US boarding

    United States forces executed back-to-back seizures of two major oil tankers on Wednesday, marking a significant escalation in the naval blockade of Venezuela. The operations, part of the broader “Operation Southern Spear,” targeted vessels accused of defying sanctions and operating within the “dark fleet” to transport Venezuelan crude.

    3 comments
  • Saturday, December 27th 2025 - 10:23 UTC

    Panama to sanction tankers intercepted by US

    These vessels “failed to respect Panamanian maritime legislation,” Martínez-Acha explained

    The Government of Panama will take disciplinary action against several oil tankers registered under its flag targeted by the United States for alleged irregularities, Foreign Minister Javier Martínez-Acha announced Friday. These vessels “failed to respect Panamanian maritime legislation,” he explained.

  • Wednesday, December 17th 2025 - 11:18 UTC

    Trump orders total blockade of Venezuela's tankers

    Tankers currently in Venezuela risk seizure if departing, potentially causing a total paralysis of the country’s oil industry

    US President Donald Trump ordered on Tuesday a “total and complete” naval blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers traveling to and from Venezuela, marking the most aggressive move against Caracas' energy sector to date. The announcement came after the recent seizure of a sanctioned vessel.

  • Thursday, December 11th 2025 - 10:11 UTC

    US seizes oil tanker off Venezuelan shores

    Shippers are expected to be more cautious in the future when loading Venezuelan crude, US authorities hope

    The United States seized a large oil tanker in international waters off the coast of Venezuela on Wednesday in a high-stakes maritime operation, marking a significant escalation in the pressure campaign against the Bolivarian regime of Nicolás Maduro.

  • Friday, May 31st 2019 - 09:24 UTC

    Pompeo blames Iran for attacks on oil tankers: “they want to raise the price of crude”

    
“These were efforts by the Iranians to raise the price of crude oil throughout the world,” Pompeo told reporters shortly before leaving on a trip to Europe

    US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday blamed Iran for attacks this month on oil tankers in the Gulf, saying it was an effort by Tehran to raise the global price of oil.

  • Friday, November 13th 2015 - 10:56 UTC

    WTI oil falls below US$ 42; millions of barrels held in ships at sea

    Traders and oil producers have filled flotillas of stationary supertankers and are waiting for oil prices to recover, or storage to be available on land

    Oil prices were testing fresh lows on Thursday, with a report that 100 million barrels of crude and heavy oil products are being held in ships at sea. West Texas Intermediate oil, the main North American contract, fell below $42 US a barrel, amid predictions that it would fall to the $20-30 level next year.