The US Coast Guard has announced the seizure of a ship that was transporting fuel to Cuba, in violation of the US oil embargo imposed on the country.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Coast Guard reported that a special team searched the vessel, named ‘MV Grace’, in the Caribbean Sea in early September. At the time, the ship was en route to Cuba carrying a cargo of fuel.
The statement noted that the vessel was employing tactics typically associated with the ‘dark fleet’—ships that operate covertly. Such vessels usually conceal their cargo’s origin, ownership, and destination while transporting sanctioned or high-risk goods.
The ‘Grace’ was subsequently escorted to the port of Progreso in eastern Mexico. There, the Mexican Navy confirmed the presence of a large quantity of fuel in the ship’s ballast tanks, according to the US Coast Guard.
The Coast Guard further revealed that earlier this summer, they had searched and seized another vessel named ‘Zaira Provider’. US authorities allege that this ship was also illegally transporting fuel to Cuba.
Relations between Washington and Havana have deteriorated since President Donald Trump returned to power in January 2025; the Trump administration has significantly intensified pressure on Cuba.
According to the US President, communist-ruled Cuba—located just about 150 kilometers from Florida—poses a major threat to the United States.
Washington has effectively enforced an oil embargo or blockade against Cuba since January 2026. Reports indicate that this has plunged the nation of approximately 9.4 million people into a deep economic and energy crisis.
