An aframax has unloaded its US light crude cargo after a 100-day wait due to payment delays from Venezuela’s PDVSA to BP.
The 157,748-dwt Sonangol Cabinda (built 2013) was authorised to enter PDVSA’s Bullen Bay terminal on 23 September and finished discharging yesterday, according to Reuters.
Long payment delays have created offloading problems since April, boosting the costs for oil.
The Sonangol Cabinda arrived at the Caribbean island of Curacao in mid-June from Texas.
At least four tankers carrying US crude were in limbo off Venezuela in June.
Providers are asking PDVSA to prepay before authorising tankers to discharge while other companies have agreed to receive Venezuelan crude or refined products in exchange.
Reuters reported that three more aframaxes laden with US light crude sold by BP to PDVSA are still waiting to offload around Curacao.
The 109,060-dwt Valfoglia (built 2009), the 113,782-dwt British Cormorant (built 2005) and the 109,060-dwt Whistler Spirit (built 2010) arrived in the Caribbean from late August to early September.
They are owned by Italy’s Navi Montanari, BP Shipping and Teekay Tankers respectively.
