Venezuela has reached out to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for assistance in resuming the trading of tankers. The country is seeking support and guidance from the IMO to address any challenges and obstacles that may be hindering the operation of tankers in its waters. This initiative reflects Venezuela's commitment to ensuring the safe and efficient movement of tankers, and underscores the importance of international cooperation in resolving maritime issues.
Venezuela’s vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, has been in London, urging the new head of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to help out and get the South American nation’s tanker fleet back up and running.
US sanctions on Venezuelan shipping vessels are harming the country’s maritime transport, Rodriguez told Arsenio Dominguez, who has been in the IMO hot seat since January 1, during a meeting yesterday.
The sanctions have led to 39 tankers operated by the state oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), being mothballed, some of which have fallen into disrepair.
“I expressed our concern that the entire fleet of ships and vessels that PDVSA has are being illegally sanctioned, they are blockaded,” Rodriguez told Caracas-based news network Telesur.
In addition to the PDVSA fleet, “30 international trade vessels … have been sanctioned” for doing business with Venezuela, she said.
“We are the country with the fourth-largest number of blockaded ships worldwide, truly an embarrassing situation,” said the vice president.
In October last year, Washington slightly eased its six-year-old sanctions against Venezuela. The US issued a six-month licence authorising transactions in Venezuela’s oil sector after Venezuelan administration and opposition leaders reached an agreement to ensure fair 2024 elections.
The plea from Venezuela’s vice president sheds light on the pressing need for international cooperation and support to alleviate the adverse effects of sanctions on the country's maritime industry. As discussions and negotiations continue, it remains to be seen how the IMO and other relevant stakeholders will respond to Venezuela’s call for assistance in reviving its tanker fleet and restoring normalcy to its maritime transport operations.
(This article is sourced from splash247.com curated by Thetransporteronline24)
