Residents of Playa Baracoa reported sighting a vessel in the waters of that northern coast since Thursday night, according to information shared and attributed to locals.
According to the report from the official local newspaper El Artemiseño, the vessel requested to anchor at that point due to the heavy swells, with the intention of later reaching a "safe harbor."
So far, the available text does not identify the type of vessel, but according to ship monitoring applications, it is the Lars D, which sails under the flag of Portugal.
The information shared is attributed to residents of Playa Baracoa in Bauta, and it is accompanied by images shared courtesy of local residents.
The ship would have departed from Halifax and was headed for the port of Mariel.
In January, the petrochemical vessel Mia Grace, which set sail from Lomé, Togo, with a cargo destined for Havana, altered its manifest and headed to the port of Río Haina, near Santo Domingo.
The satellite tracking platforms showed that the vessel, flying the flag of the Marshall Islands, changed its destination during the Atlantic crossing, which raised uncertainty about whether its fuel cargo - presumably diesel or fuel oil - would ultimately reach Cuba or remain at another transit point.
Rio Haina is an important Dominican commercial port specialized in general cargo, liquids, and chemical products, located very close to the Dominican Petroleum Refinery (REFIDOMSA), which is responsible for the refining and importation of petroleum derivatives.
The news of the change in direction almost coincided with President Donald Trump's measures to pressure for a regime change in Cuba, including the imposition of a total blockade on oil imports to the island.
Filed under: