A U.S. military helicopter flies near an oil tanker during a raid described by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi as a U.S. seizure off the coast of Venezuela, Dec. 10, 2025, in a video still.
US Attorney General | via Reuters
At least 34 U.S.-licensed oil tankers with a history of transporting Venezuelan oil are currently sailing in the Caribbean Sea, according to a new analysis obtained by CNBC on Wednesday.
And at least 12 of those tankers appear to be carrying Venezuelan crude, according to ship location data from global trade intelligence firm Kpler.
One of the tankers, the Skipper, was captured by the US military in the Caribbean Sea last week and taken to the US.
Kupler offered this analysis a day after President Donald Trump vowed to impose a “complete and complete blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers traveling in and out of Venezuela. President Trump also labeled the Maduro regime, which rules the country, a foreign terrorist organization.
Kupler said the United States would only intercept sanctioned tankers carrying oil from Venezuela, not similar vessels carrying crude oil from other countries, including oil from Iran and Russia.
“Given President Trump’s recent announcements, these tankers could be subject to increased scrutiny and potential enforcement action by U.S. authorities,” Dimitris Ampatsidis, senior risk and compliance analyst at Kpler, told CNBC.
In a separate note to clients on Wednesday, Kupler said the blockade of Venezuelan oil should not lead to higher oil prices.
Location of US-sanctioned Venezuelan tankers. Green is a tanker full of Venezuelan oil, orange is an empty tanker.
Kupler
“This move has so far failed to meaningfully boost oil prices or reverse underlying fundamentals, largely because the market is two-tiered and even the sanctioned segment remains crowded,” Kpler’s report said.
crude oil price rallied It rose nearly 2% on Wednesday.
Chevron is the only company authorized by the United States to transport Venezuelan crude oil to the United States.
“Oil bound for the United States under Chevron’s license may continue to flow,” Kpler’s report said.
“This suggests that while supplies from Venezuela to sanctioned markets will be disrupted, volumes bound for the United States will remain intact, with cargo bound for China and Cuba bearing the brunt of the impact.”
In addition to Skipper, the 11 other licensed tankers believed to be transporting Venezuelan crude oil are Star Twinkle 6, Hyperion, Boceanica, Lydia N, Census, Soldier, Avril, Phoenix VI, Manuela Saenz, Dianchi, and Yi Mengxiang.
Tracking of 12 Venezuelan tankers sanctioned by the US in 2025
marine transportation
Venezuela will produce about 900,000 barrels of crude oil and condensate by 2025, accounting for about 1% of the world’s total supply.
China buys about 76% of Venezuela’s production, according to Kpler data.
The United States will import approximately 17% of Venezuela’s production in 2025. This is equivalent to about half of the imported production volume in 2024.
Cuba, Spain and Italy are also important customers for Venezuelan oil.
“U.S.-bound cargo is expected to remain intact, but China and Cuba are likely to look to Russia and Iran for alternatives,” Kupler’s report said.
