In a bold defiance of escalating US pressure, sanctioned tankers continue to load Venezuelan oil off the country\’s coast, even as the Trump administration ramps up its naval blockade to cut off revenue streams for President Nicolás Maduro\’s regime. Despite recent high-profile interceptions and pursuits by US forces, oil loadings have persisted at a near-normal […]
Continue ReadingIn the volatile world of global energy markets, the sight of surging oil barrels floating at sea has sent shockwaves through traders and investors. As of late 2025, global crude supplies have ballooned, with an estimated 1.3 billion barrels of \”oil on water\”—the highest level since April 2020 and a staggering 30% increase from August. […]
Continue ReadingThe global energy landscape has long been shadowed by the so-called \”shadow fleet\”—a network of aging, often poorly maintained tankers that evade international sanctions to transport oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) from countries like Russia, Iran, Iraq, and Venezuela. These vessels, frequently operating under opaque ownership and false flags, have allowed sanctioned regimes to […]
Continue ReadingIn a bold escalation of U.S. policy toward Venezuela, President Donald Trump has ordered a \”total and complete blockade\” of all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving the country. The announcement, made via Truth Social, comes amid rising tensions over Venezuela\’s use of shadowy \”dark fleet\” vessels to evade international sanctions and export crude oil, […]
Continue ReadingVenezuela, home to the world\’s largest proven oil reserves, has long been a pivotal player in global energy dynamics. However, years of political turmoil, economic mismanagement, and stringent U.S. sanctions have crippled its oil industry, reducing production from peaks of around 2 million barrels per day (bpd) in the mid-2010s to roughly 900,000 bpd today. […]
Continue ReadingIn a bold display of defiance against US sanctions, two shadowy supertankers—operating under the pseudonyms \”Crag\” and \”Galaxy 3\”—have docked at Venezuela\’s Jose port to load nearly 4 million barrels of Merey 16 crude oil destined for Asia. These vessels, part of the infamous \”dark fleet\” used to evade international restrictions, highlight the ongoing cat-and-mouse […]
Continue ReadingENB Pub Note: This is a fantastic article from Giacomo Prandelli, and Stu Turley will be interviewing him next week on the Energy News Beat podcast. This is going to be a great interview, as The Merchant News Substack is packed with fantastic insights from the global energy markets. On a quiet morning off the […]
Continue ReadingIn a significant escalation of the ongoing energy warfare between Ukraine and Russia, the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) has suspended oil loading operations at its Black Sea terminal in Novorossiysk following a Ukrainian naval drone attack. The incident, which occurred early on November 29, 2025, marks the latest in a series of targeted strikes on […]
Continue ReadingAs the world watches the evolving dynamics of the Ukraine-Russia conflict, the energy sector remains on high alert. With the current date being November 28, 2025, recent developments suggest a potential path toward peace, including a proposed 19-point plan from the Trump administration that favors Ukraine by avoiding territorial concessions in Donbas and offering U.S.-style […]
Continue ReadingIn a striking display of resilience amid tightening global sanctions, a Russian \”dark fleet\” tanker recently conducted a ship-to-ship oil transfer off the coast of Mumbai, ultimately delivering its cargo to Indian shores. This maneuver, highlighted in a recent Bloomberg report, underscores the ongoing challenges in enforcing Western sanctions on Russian energy exports. As trade […]
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