The acute fuel shortage in Venezuela is impeding distribution of limited food and aid needed to tackle the spreading coronavirus. Venezuela’s national oil company PDVSA is continuing to supply its political ally Cuba in spite of a severe fuel crisis at home and US sanctions designed to stem Venezuelan oil flow to the island. According to a 28-29 March loading schedule obtained by Argus , four Cuban-owned tankers loaded almost 800,000 bl of crude and products at PDVSA’s Amuay terminal in recent days. The buyer of the four cargoes was listed as state-owned Cubametales, which was sanctioned by the US Treasury in July 2019. Several tankers that shuttle Venezuelan oil have also been sanctioned. The Panama-flagged Petion is transporting 385,000 bl of 30°API crude and fuel oil blend to Cienfuegos, where Cuban state-owned Cupet operates a 65,000 b/d refinery. Also en […]