Crew Reviews, Ratings & Info for Maria-Cristina

On August 7, 2022, the supertanker 'María Cristina' docked in Matanzas Bay to aid in the critical removal of crude oil from the Supertanker Base, following a significant fire that erupted on August 5. The incident has raised concerns due to the presence of crude oil and fuel in the affected tanks, which are crucial for supplying diesel to gas stations in both Matanzas and Havana. To mitigate the risk of the blaze spreading to adjacent tanks, Cuban authorities are actively coordinating efforts to transfer the stored diesel. Currently, one-third of the fuel tanks remain intact. Furthermore, the 180-meter vessel 'Amalia' has been dispatched from Cienfuegos and is expected to arrive in Matanzas on August 9 to assist with the ongoing recovery efforts. For additional information, viewers can access the video report here: https://www.cibercuba.com/noticias/2022-08-07-u1-e207888-s27061-atraca-matanzas-buque-capacidad-evacuar-6-mil-toneladas.

The United States has targeted the tanker 'Maria Cristiana,' recently renamed 'Carlota C,' for its role in transporting jet fuel from Venezuela to Cuba. This Panamanian-flagged vessel was previously sanctioned in 2019 for its involvement in shipping gasoline from Venezuela to the island nation. Despite its change of name and flag, it remains active in maritime operations. Between May 13 and 16, 2020, the tanker was docked at the El Palito refinery in Puerto Cabello, Carabobo, where it loaded Jet A-1 fuel, primarily utilized in the aviation sector, before heading back to Venezuela. This strategic maneuver by the governments of Venezuela and Cuba is an attempt to circumvent the sanctions imposed by US authorities, enabling continued transfers of oil and petrochemical products to Cuba. Although the El Palito refinery has faced challenges with its gasoline production due to an inactive catalytic cracking plant, it has successfully produced Jet A-1 fuel, which requires less heating and fewer additives during production processes. In addition to 'Carlota C,' the crude oil tanker 'Petion' has also been identified as docked at the Carabobo refinery since May 21, preparing to load fuel oil for transport to Venezuela. This tanker is similarly under US sanctions. Both vessels are owned and operated by Caroil Transport Marine LTD, which was sanctioned by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Treasury Department in 2019 for facilitating the shipment of oil and other petroleum products between Venezuela and Cuba, involving sanctioned state companies PDVSA and Cubametales. Caroil Transport Marine LTD is associated with Guillermo Faustino Rodríguez López-Callejas, brother of Brigadier General Luis Alberto Rodríguez López-Callejas, who is a significant figure in the Cuban military business conglomerate (GAESA) and the former son-in-law of Raúl Castro.