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The tanker Jasper, sanctioned by the European Union and the United Kingdom, arrived this Tuesday at the northwest coast of Cuba with approximately 330,000 barrels of Russian crude.
According to data from Marine Traffic, consulted by EFE, the oil tanker was adrift 15.7 nautical miles (about 29 km) north of Matanzas Bay.
According to the cited source, the ship is sailing under the flag of Vanuatu and is said to have departed from the Black Sea around November 14. Due to its draft, the tanker would be “fully loaded” with the estimated volume of crude oil.
The arrival of the Jasper would be the third ship to arrive in Cuba in less than a week, following two previous shipments from Mexico, at a time described in the report as critical due to prolonged blackouts on the island.
The 330,000 barrels would ease the island's crude deficit “a little” “for one day”.
However, Cuba requires around 110,000 barrels per day for its basic energy needs, with about 40,000 coming from domestic production.
The note from EFE also indicates that, according to the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI), 60% of the fuel consumed in Cuba is imported and that, out of the total required, 65% is used to power thermoelectric plants.
Independent studies estimate that nearly half of Cuba's fuel needs are met through imports from Venezuela, Mexico, and to a lesser extent, Russia. However, they also indicate that volumes from Venezuela have decreased since 2024 and that Mexico has similarly reduced shipments, within a context described as one of increasing pressure in the area.
The ship Jasper, sanctioned by the European Union, is part of the so-called "ghost fleet" used by Russia to transport oil.
The arrival of the Jasper to the island occurs just a few days after the United States strengthened the maritime blockade against sanctioned ships transporting Venezuelan oil, resulting in the capture of three tankers in the past ten days.
In light of this situation, Russia demanded explanations from the United States last week regarding the seizure of an oil tanker in waters near Venezuela, an action announced the day before by President Donald Trump as part of an operation against drug trafficking and oil smuggling.
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