The United States Coast Guard announced this Friday the successful interception of the vessel M/V Grace, a ship sailing towards Cuba loaded with fuel in the Caribbean Sea, as part of an operation coordinated with Mexico.
According to the official statement from the Coast Guard, the boarding took place in early September when a tactical team intercepted the vessel as it was heading to the island.
After the boarding, the Coast Guard escorted the M/V Grace, sailing under the flag of Comoros, to the port of Progreso, Mexico, where the Mexican Navy (MARINA) confirmed the presence of large quantities of fuel stored in the ship's ballast tanks, in addition to several containers that were also believed to contain fuel.
Authorities determined that the ship employed tactics typical of the so-called "dark fleet": deceptive navigation practices, unsafe conditions, and hidden cargo to evade international controls.
The storage of fuel in ballast tanks poses a serious environmental risk, as it can lead to oil spills that affect coastal communities, fishing reserves, and marine ecosystems in the Caribbean.
The operation involved the coast guard vessel Alert (WMEC-630), the coast guard vessel Charles Sexton (WPC-1108), a fixed-wing aircraft HC-144, the Southern Tactical Law Enforcement Team, and observers from the Southeast District.
The vice admiral Nate Moore, deputy commander of operations, emphasized the seriousness of these activities: "The illegal shipments of fuel violate international law and pose serious environmental threats in the Caribbean Sea. We thank the Government of Mexico for their assistance in bringing the M/V Grace to justice."
The admiral Kevin Lunday, commander of the Coast Guard, was more emphatic: "International waters are not a sanctuary for lawlessness. The actors of the dark fleet who employ deceptive tactics to engage in illegal activities will not escape justice."
This interception is not an isolated incident. Earlier in the summer, the Coast Guard had already detained the M/V Jaira Provider, another substandard vessel registered in Saint Kitts and Nevis that was also transporting illegal fuel to Cuba.
That boat was intercepted near Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, with approximately 220,000 gallons of diesel on board, according to reports from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Both interceptions are part of the maximum pressure campaign by the Trump administration against the Cuban regime, which officially began on January 29 with the signing of Executive Order 14380, declaring Cuba a "national emergency" and imposing secondary sanctions on countries and shipping companies that supply oil to the island.
This policy intensified in May with a second executive order and culminated in June with direct sanctions against CUPET, the Cuban state oil company. According to reports, the measures have reduced Cuba's energy imports by between 80% and 90%, worsening the fuel crisis and the blackouts experienced by the population.
The Cuban Minister of Energy and Mines, Vicente de la O Levy, admitted in April that the only shipment received in over four months was barely enough to cover that month, a confession that illustrates the extent of the energy crisis facing the island.
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