Mexico is delivering two Liberian-flagged vessels loaded with 80,000 barrels of fuel to Cuba in a bid to mitigate the island’s escalating electricity shortages. The shipment highlights the increasing strain on Cuba’s energy infrastructure amid diminished Venezuelan supplies and heightened U.S. naval pressure, pointing to fragile fuel import dependencies that will continue to challenge Cuba’s energy security.
Two ships, Ocean Mariner and Eugenia Gas, both under Liberia flags, are transporting a combined 80,000 barrels of petroleum from Pemex’s Pajaritos complex in southern Mexico to Cuba, with Eugenia Gas currently en route to the port of Moa on Cuba’s eastern coast. The Ocean Mariner remains in the loading phase at the Mexican facility. The fuel volume corresponds roughly to Cuba’s daily shortfall, as the country requires approximately 110,000 barrels per day for basic energy needs but produces only about 40,000 barrels domestically. According to Cuba’s National Statistics Office (ONEI), 60% of consumed fuel is imported, with 65% allocated to the operation of thermoelectric plants, many of which are aging and prone to frequent failures. Since mid-2024, Cuba’s electrical grid has experienced five total collapses and numerous partial outages, leading to power cuts lasting 20 hours or more in extensive areas. The current supply deficit is exacerbated by declining crude deliveries from Venezuela, historically Cuba’s principal fuel supplier, which have dropped from around 50,000 barrels daily pre-2024 to between 10,000 and 30,000 barrels amid intensified U.S. naval interdictions and sanctions. Mexican fuel shipments, framed by Mexico as humanitarian aid, have triggered diplomatic tension with the United States, which has concurrently announced a naval blockade targeting sanctioned Venezuelan tankers linked to a so-called “phantom fleet.” Cuban authorities condemn these U.S. interdictions as maritime piracy, emphasizing that part of Venezuelan crude reportedly destined for Cuba is diverted and resold in Asian markets, mainly China, with Cuba compensating through personnel deployments in health, education, and intelligence sectors. The fuel imports from Mexico thus represent a vital but insufficient response to Cuba’s energy crisis, underscoring its vulnerability to geopolitical and logistical disruptions within its supply chain.
This article was curated and published as part of our South American energy market coverage.
