The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated these entities for operating in the oil sector of the Venezuelan economy, under Executive Order 13850. According to the Treasury Department, the sanctioned vessels have facilitated the transportation of Venezuelan oil and contributed to generating revenue for what the US government describes as an “illegitimate narcoterrorist regime.”
The United States Treasury Department announced this Wednesday, December 31, new sanctions against four companies and four oil tankers linked to the so-called “ghost fleet” that, according to Washington, is used by the government of Nicolás Maduro to market Venezuelan crude oil and evade international restrictions.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated these entities for operating in the oil sector of the Venezuelan economy, under Executive Order 13850. According to the Treasury Department, the sanctioned vessels have facilitated the transportation of Venezuelan oil and contributed to generating revenue for what the US government describes as an “illegitimate narcoterrorist regime.”
«The Maduro regime increasingly uses ships from various countries for sanctionable activities and destabilizing operations. “This action reinforces the signal that participants in the Venezuelan oil trade face significant risks from additional measures,” he said in a statement.
The Secretary of the Treasury Department, Scott Bessent, stated that the decision responds to a clear line from Donald Trump’s administration. “President Trump made it clear: we will not allow the illegitimate Maduro regime to profit from oil exports while flooding the United States with lethal drugs,” he said.
Ships and companies sanctioned
Among the vessels and companies included in the new round of sanctions are:
- Nord Star (IMO: 9323596), registered property of Corniola Limited and operated by Krape Myrtle Co LTD. It transported Venezuelan oil. Both companies were designated and the vessel was identified as blocked property.
- Rosalind (also known as Lunar Tide, IMO: 9277735), owned by Winky International Limited. It transported Venezuelan crude oil. The company was designated and the ship blocked.
- Della (IMO: 9227479) and Valiant (IMO: 9409247), owned by Aries Global Investment LTD. Both transported Venezuelan oil and were identified as blocked assets after the company was designated.
The Treasury Department recalled that these measures complement previous sanctions against PDVSA, designated in January 2019 and formally blocked in August of that same year. All assets of the sanctioned entities that are in the United States or under the control of US citizens are frozen and must be reported to OFAC.
With this action, the US closes 2025 by deepening its policy of pressure against Venezuela, focused on limiting the oil revenues of the Maduro Executive and restricting the operations of the network of ships used to market crude oil outside official channels.
*Journalism in Venezuela is carried out in a hostile environment for the press with dozens of legal instruments in place to punish the word, especially the laws “against hate”, “against fascism” and “against the blockade.” This content is being published taking into consideration the threats and limits that have consequently been imposed on the dissemination of information from within the country.
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