Venezuela opened February crude flows with a pair of Merey 16 loadings from the José terminal, sending volumes into both Mediterranean and Northwest European markets. Two tankers, the Poliegos and the Folegandro, loaded at the terminal, together taking on nearly 2 million bbls of heavy Venezuelan crude.
The Poliegos loaded roughly 900,000 bbls at the East Berth, taking on a full shipment of Merey 16 before departing for an undeclared destination in Italy.
Alongside it, the Folegandro lifted over 1 million bbls from the West Berth, also loading Merey 16. The vessel is currently scheduled to discharge in Rotterdam this month. These volumes are among the first non‑US‑bound shipments following Nicolás Maduro’s capture by the US military in early January.
Since then, Venezuelan loadings have been dominated by US‑bound flows, with Chevron, Trafigura, and Vitol taking a larger role in marketing and moving barrels into global outlets. The two European‑bound shipments hint at the beginnings of a broader distribution pattern as those traders and partners reshape the flow of Venezuelan crude.
