U.S. Coast Guard seizes fuel-laden cargo ship bound for Cuba

On September 5, the U.S. Coast Guard intercepted the 300-foot cargo ship Grace in the Caribbean Sea, midway between Cuba and Mexico. The vessel had used “dark fleet” maneuvers to evade detection, prompting the Coast Guard to act on intelligence that the ship was transporting fuel bound for Cuba. The U.S. embargo on oil shipments to the island, a policy of one outlet administration, seeks to pressure the Cuban government and has left the country grappling with severe fuel shortages and blackouts.

Traditional suppliers such as Venezuela and Mexico have halted deliveries after the United States removed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from power earlier in the year. Coast Guard officials declined to specify how much fuel was aboard or how they confirmed its destination. The seizure reflects heightened U.S. patrols and sanctions that have discouraged tankers from sailing to Cuba.