The US Coast Guard has announced the interception of a large cargo ship, the Grace, which was carrying fuel destined for Cuba. The interception occurred on 5 September in the Caribbean Sea, amidst the ongoing oil embargo imposed by the Trump administration against the island nation.
According to the Coast Guard, the vessel was employing tactics common among the 'dark fleet' to evade authorities. After being boarded by a Coast Guard team, the Grace was escorted to Mexico, where a Mexican navy inspection confirmed significant quantities of fuel in its ballast tanks and several containers believed to hold illicit fuel.
The Trump administration has stated its objective is to change Cuba's government, with an oil blockade implemented earlier this year contributing to fuel shortages and blackouts in Cuba. Oil shipments from traditional suppliers, Venezuela and Mexico, ceased after the US ousted Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro in January.
Admiral Kevin Lunday, commandant of the Coast Guard, stated that "dark fleet actors who employ deceptive tactics to engage in illicit activities will not evade justice." The Coast Guard's statement did not specify how authorities knew the fuel was headed to Cuba or the exact quantity carried by the Grace.