Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA is looking to secure five more tankers on charter after its fleet was hit by US sanctions.
The company is also seeking to extend deals for three more ships, according to sources and PDVSA reports cited by S&P Global Platts.
“PDVSA requires as soon as possible three vessels for LPG, two aframaxes, two panamaxes and one long-range [LR1] vessel,” an official of PDV Marina, the PDVSA shipping company, told the agency.
TradeWinds has reported that, as the sanctions do not explicitly cover the maritime transport sector, some tanker owners are still willing to ship from and to Venezuela as long as PDVSA is not the charterer of their ships.
The official added that while PDVSA is not able to work with some shipowners because of sanctions, “we will continue working with those who take risks despite the US sanctions.”
It is also seeking to rehire two panamax tankers and has launched a global tender for an LR1 for a year, with a year's option attached.
PDVSA had 11 LR1s in operation, but has lost five after the US sanctions were imposed.
A tender is also out for two aframaxes for a year, with another 12-month option.
An internal PDVSA report said: “The hiring of two vessels will not be enough, because to guarantee supply operations to the national refining system, supply fuels for the generation of electricity and commercial commitments with international clients in ship to ship operations, PDVSA requires 16 aframax vessels and only has operative nine."
In addition, it is trying to extend the contract of one chartered LPG carrier for a year.
Its three other chartered ships are awaiting confirmation from insurers or the US Office of Foreign Assets Control that they can carry out commercial operations with PDVSA.
