The internet user identified as Joankelin Sánchez published on X a series of messages based on data from VesselFinder in which he questions the recent movement of tankers associated with Cuban ports and raises doubts about shipping times and possible loading/unloading operations amid the fuel crisis.
According to those publications, one of the most notable points was the case of the M/T Caribbean Alliance, which—according to the information cited by the internet user—departed from Mariel in September and arrived at the Port of Santiago de Cuba on February 5.
Despite the fact that it would typically be a journey taking three days, the trip would have taken more than four months.
In his second publication, Joankelin Sánchez noted that the M/T Caribbean Alliance is in Santiago de Cuba at 90% capacity, with a draft of 8.1 meters out of a maximum of 9 meters, according to data he attributes to ship monitoring sites.
From that information, he highlighted as "curious" the long interval between its departure (September) and its arrival (February).
The internet user concludes that "something" is not being publicly disclosed, although their post does not provide a confirmed explanation for the reasons behind the delay.
Tankers in Matanzas
Sánchez reported the presence of a tanker identified as "Lourdes" at the Oil Terminal of the Port of Matanzas and noted a variation in the draft: on January 28, the vessel recorded 11.3 meters, and on February 8, 12.8 meters, which led him to question whether the tanker was loading from the "Sandino" or unloading.
In a third message, the internet user stated that there was a widespread confusion propagated by monitoring sites regarding the direction of the tanker "Ocean Integrity," and claimed that it is heading to Matanzas (Cuba) and not to Matanzas (Venezuela).
He added that the ship would "very likely" go to refuel, possibly supplied by the tanker “Sandino,” although he again presents it as a possibility and not as a confirmed fact.
In conclusion, Sánchez wrote that, "to be out of fuel," he observes "a considerable flow of tankers" (both Cuban and non-Cuban) linked to Cuba and mentioned vessels such as LPG EMILIA, ESPERANZA, and PRIMULA, arguing that if there were no fuel, "the most logical thing" would be for them not to be moving between ports.
He also proposed additional hypotheses, such as the possibility of fuel “in the form of stone,” due to the arrival of the ECO AVALON (IMO 9701267) in Moa on February 4 from Manzanillo, Mexico, with a cargo of petcoke, a solid, lightweight, and porous fuel rich in carbon.
Manzanillo is a port for the export of Mexican coke, and tracking sites for tankers indicate that it arrived in Holguín this month.
During the first days of February 2026, reports of maritime movements around Cuban ports have sparked unusual public interest.
The tanker Sandino docked at the port of Matanzas coming from the bay of Nipe, in Holguín, with an estimated load of between 390,000 and 410,000 barrels of fuel, according to maritime monitoring sources.
The origin of the cargo remains unconfirmed, and there were also no official statements regarding the type of product or its final destination.
This arrival coincided with reports about the presence of the ship Sea Horse heading to Havana and with warnings from specialists regarding the depletion of national reserves.
Both pieces of information outline a critical scenario: while the Cuban Government avoids providing explanations about the source and destination of the fuel, the movements of tankers reveal maneuvers that could be linked to emergency operations or attempts to reactivate an increasingly dependent energy system on punctual shipments.
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