Name: Oil tankers dodge U.S. naval blockade as Venezuela uses Panama Canal
Uploaded: 2026-01-06T08:33:44.602Z
Duration: 2 min 11 s
Description: Al Jazeera reports from the Panama Canal where oil tankers are trying to evade an American blockade on Venezuelan energy exports.

Al Jazeera reports from the Panama Canal where oil tankers are trying to evade an American blockade on Venezuelan energy exports.

Panama Canal

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Venezuelan oil tankers have continued to export crude by passing through the Panama Canal, circumventing a US-imposed blockade. Despite US efforts, including the seizure of some vessels and pressure on Panama to tighten controls, more than a dozen tankers have left Venezuelan waters, with some traveling in groups to evade detection.

Many of these ships operate without recognized flags or valid safety documents and employ tactics such as turning off tracking systems and changing names. While the US urges Panama to increase oversight and deflag sanctioned ships, Panama maintains the canal's neutrality and resists becoming an enforcement arm for US sanctions.

Oil tankers dodge U.S. naval blockade as Venezuela uses Panama Canal

What you can see here is the entrance to the Panama Canal, one of the largest maritime checkpoints and trade routes in the world. It connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It's controlled by Panama, but this country has been under increased US pressure to control traffic, especially of oil tankers who have been sanctioned by the United States. In recent months, US forces have engaged with at least three vessels carrying Venezuelan oil. Two have been seized. Over a dozen oil tankers loaded with Venezuelan crude have left the country's waters in spite of the US government blockade. Four of them are moving together in an attempt to evade it. Reuters reports all the vessels are under sanctions, and most are now sailing without a recognized flag or valid safety documentation. Venezuela relies on what is known as a shadow fleet to move its oil and evade sanctions. Much of it goes to China, and it passes through here, the Panama Canal. The United States says that many of those ships go into what is known as a dark mode. This means that they turn off the location, change names, and use deceptive measures to try to prevent being tracked. It's not clear whether the tankers currently on the high seas left Venezuelan waters with US approval. US President Donald Trump said the blockade remains in place, but said Venezuelan customers, including China, will continue to receive oil. Panama has one of the largest ship registrations in the world. That's why some sanctioned ships carry the Panamanian flag. But the US has been pushing Panama to increase controls and deflag many vessels in an attempt to prevent Venezuelan, Russian, and Iranian oil shipments. Panama resists becoming the enforcement arm of US sanctions because, legally, the canal is neutral. But at the same time, it does not want to anger Donald Trump, something that would have big political and economic consequences. Teresa Abo, Al Jazeera, Panama City.

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Oil tankers dodge U.S. naval blockade as Venezuela uses Panama Canal

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Venezuela Strikes