The vessel Gas Exelero, tasked with transporting liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to Cuba and registered under the Marshall Islands flag, has once again become a focal point in Cuba's energy crisis after an unsuccessful attempt to load fuel in Curaçao.
Now, the ship is heading towards Kingston, Jamaica, in a renewed effort to supply the island with gas, a resource growing increasingly scarce for the Cuban population.
Energy specialist Jorge Piñón from the University of Texas confirmed to CiberCuba that the operation in Willemstad did not succeed. "There was no successful purchase in Willemstad. It entered the bay's mouth on February 15 at 00:10 UTC and exited the bay entrance 9 hours later at 09:20 UTC," the expert explained.
Piñón further detailed that the ship never engaged in loading maneuvers. "The storage tanks of the ISLA refinery are 2.3 nautical miles at the end of the bay... it never docked at the refinery's piers, much less loaded LPG," he added.
The brief stay in the harbor confirms that the tanker did not obtain the sought-after product. Its current draft of 4.2 meters reinforces this conclusion: the vessel maintains nearly the same buoyancy level it had upon arrival, indicating no LPG was loaded.
Piñón also clarified a crucial point regarding these types of vessels amid frequent speculations: the Gas Exelero and other tankers are not "rented." They "fly the flag of the countries where they are legally registered and follow the maritime regulations of that country/flag," he noted.
Repeated Attempts Amidst Failures
The Gas Exelero is not the only ship that has navigated the Caribbean in recent weeks searching for LPG for Cuba without success. Before the incident in Curaçao, the Eugenia Gas tried to load in Kingston, Jamaica, but also failed, returning to Santiago de Cuba empty.
This was the second failed attempt in less than a month, after the Emilia—operating under the Cuban flag—also failed to acquire LPG in Jamaica's capital at the end of January. Maritime traffic records showed that the Emilia departed and returned with the same draft, a clear sign it did not manage to load.
Jamaica had been a regular supplier of liquefied gas to Cuba. However, the tightening of the international landscape has complicated these operations, especially following the enforcement of an order signed by former U.S. President Donald Trump, threatening tariffs on any country supplying fuel to the Island.
Each failed voyage incurs additional fuel costs for an economy already grappling with severe energy constraints. The fuel shortage not only affects the availability of LPG for cooking but also has a significant impact on the national electrical system, already plagued by prolonged blackouts and a generation deficit.
A recent Bloomberg analysis, utilizing satellite images of light levels emitted by the Island, concluded that luminosity has decreased by up to 50% in cities like Santiago de Cuba and Holguín compared to their historical average.
Additionally, there are long lines for purchasing gasoline across the country, along with a dramatic increase in the cost of road transportation, whether for interprovincial or short-distance travel.
A Race Against Time
While more restrictions and penalties for electricity consumption are imposed within the country, ships associated with Cuba continue desperately searching for gas to ease the domestic shortage. After the unsuccessful stop in Curaçao, the Gas Exelero is now attempting its luck in Kingston, the same port where other recent efforts have ended in failure.
If it also fails to load in Jamaica, the cooking gas crisis in Cuba may worsen further in the coming weeks, directly affecting millions of households that depend on LPG to prepare their meals amid increasingly frequent blackouts.
Understanding Cuba's Energy Crisis
Why did the Gas Exelero fail to load fuel in Curaçao?
The Gas Exelero did not manage to load fuel in Curaçao because there was no successful purchase, and it did not dock at the refinery’s piers, thus not achieving any loading operations.
What impact does the fuel shortage have on Cuba?
The fuel shortage affects the availability of LPG for cooking and significantly impacts the national electrical system, leading to prolonged blackouts and a generation deficit.
What measures have complicated gas supply operations to Cuba?
The enforcement of an order by former U.S. President Donald Trump, threatening tariffs on countries supplying fuel to Cuba, has complicated gas supply operations.