Overview
- PDVSA and TankerTrackers.com report that at least four tankers that departed in early January with transponders off have reentered Venezuelan waters.
- The Panama‑flagged supertanker M Sophia was seized by U.S. forces this week, while the Aframax Olina was intercepted and then released back to Venezuela, according to PDVSA.
- Three other vessels from the same flotilla — Merope, Min Hang and Thalia III — were identified by satellite imagery near Venezuela late Friday.
- Analysts say at least 16 sanctioned tankers have left since last week, with about 12 million barrels aboard, and many used AIS shutdowns or false signals to evade tracking.
- U.S. authorities granted Vitol and Trafigura licenses to negotiate and carry Venezuelan exports, as talks continue on a reported $2 billion framework for organized crude sales.