Iranian Tanker Carrying Fuel Enter Venezuelan Waters: Data
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The first of a group of three Iranian tankers carrying fuel for Venezuela entered the waters of the South American nation, according to Refinitiv Eikon data.
The Iran-flagged tanker Forest, transporting some 270,000 barrels of fuel loaded in the Middle East, entered Venezuela’s exclusive economic zone around 8:05 a.m. EDT (1205 GMT) on Monday to approach state-run PDVSA’s El Palito port later in the day, Reuters reported.
The vessel crossed the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, according to the data.
The two following Iranian tankers, the Faxon and the Fortune, are covering the same route, with estimated dates of arrival in early October.
Although both countries are under US sanctions, Washington has not moved to intercept the vessels, which made previous fuel deliveries to Venezuela from May through June.
Following a virtual meeting between officials of both governments on Monday to discuss trade, Venezuela’s foreign minister, Jorge Arreaza, said in a statement that Iran had masterly overcome the “unilateral punitive measures” against it.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro aims to form a coalition of countries affected by unilateral sanctions, Arreaza added.
The Forest, Faxon and Fortune are together expected to deliver about 820,000 barrels of gasoline and other fuels, helping to ease shortages in Venezuela.
Separately, an Iranian very large crude carrier (VLCC) is expected to leave this week from Venezuela’s Jose port with 1.9 million barrels of Venezuelan heavy oil for the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), according to a source and PDVSA loading schedules.
