Two oil tankers linked to Venezuela’s oil trade have been detained in Dutch Caribbean jurisdictions after port state control inspections found serious safety and compliance problems.
According to the Caribbean Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control (CMOU), the tanker Regina was detained in Curacao, while Morning Sun was held in St. Eustatius.
Both vessels have previously carried Venezuelan oil cargoes and were inspected after calling at ports with stricter enforcement standards.
Authorities reported that Regina faced issues beyond routine inspection deficiencies.
The vessel arrived claiming to fly the flag of East Timor, even though the country does not operate an international shipping registry.
East Timor has earlier asked port states to investigate ships falsely using its flag. Officials said investigations into the tanker’s condition and flag status are ongoing.
The CMOU and local authorities also noted that Regina had previously carried oil cargoes linked to the joint Trafigura–United States marketing arrangement.
The detention could affect Curacao’s plans to become a trading hub for Venezuelan oil.
The island’s prime minister had personally welcomed Regina on its first visit, highlighting
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