Cuba Oil: Russia Shipment Amid Deepening Crisis

Cuba is preparing to receive its first shipment of Russian oil this year as severe power outages continue to plague the island nation, whose power grid is crumbling. The Russian-flagged Anatoly Kolodkin is approximately 3,000 nautical miles from Cuba and expected to arrive in 10 days, according to energy expert Jorge Piñón.

First Oil Shipment in Three Months

If the shipment arrives as expected, it will be the first oil delivery to Cuba in three months, coinciding with a U.S. energy blockade. The tanker is carrying 730,000 barrels of fuel and is on sanction lists from the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom following the war in Ukraine.

Piñón said the crude oil will need to be refined into liquid fuels, estimating the shipment could produce around 180,000 barrels of diesel – enough to meet Cuba’s daily demand for nine to ten days.

Tracking a Second Vessel

Another vessel, the Hong Kong-flagged Sea Horse, is also reportedly carrying approximately 200,000 barrels of diesel to Cuba. Cuba consumes roughly 20,000 barrels of diesel daily, and the Sea Horse’s cargo may not fully cover overall demand given the island’s limited storage capacity.

Piñón believes the fuel will likely be prioritized for “critical sectors of the economy,” such as transportation and agriculture. The Sea Horse is currently 958 nautical miles from Matanzas, Cuba, and is expected to arrive in four days.

Experts note that some vessels have been turning off their satellite tracking devices amid international sanctions and threats of capture, making it difficult to monitor their destinations.

Deepening Crises and International Aid

The anticipated shipments would be the first Russian oil deliveries to Cuba this year. The previous shipment detected was transported by the Ocean Mariner with 85,000 barrels from Mexico on Jan. 9.

Cuba produces only 40% of its petroleum needs, relying on Russia, Mexico, and Venezuela for the remainder. Critical shipments from Venezuela were halted after the U.S. took action against the South American country in early January. Former U.S. President Donald Trump also threatened tariffs on countries selling oil to Cuba in late January, leading Mexico to halt its shipments.

These disruptions have exacerbated Cuba’s energy and economic crises, resulting in 10-hour blackouts, reduced working hours, limited transportation, and a decline in tourism. The worsening situation has also sparked small protests.

Cuba has faced a severe economic crisis due to tightened U.S. sanctions, the COVID-19 pandemic, and internal financial reforms that triggered inflation, leading to shortages of food and medicine and increased emigration.

This week, European activists delivered more than four tons of medical supplies to Cuba as part of an international aid convoy. Brazil has announced it will send 20,000 tons of food, and a group from Chile arrived with additional aid. Further aid is expected to arrive Friday and Saturday, including solar panels, medical supplies, and food, with organizers prepared for potential actions by the Trump administration.

The Cuban government has defended its sovereignty while acknowledging talks with the United States. U.S. Southern Command head Gen. Francis Donovan testified in the Senate that his officers are tracking a Russian destroyer and oil replenishment ship scheduled to visit Cuba, but believes the oiler’s cargo will have a limited impact on Cuba’s supplies.

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Associated Press reporter María Verza in Mexico City contributed to this report.