US expands sanctions on Cuba-linked maritime companies and tankers

By Jason Nicholson8 November 2026, 23:00 · 2 min read

Coast Guard Cutter Munro (WMSL 755) transits near oil tanker Bella 1 in the North Atlantic Ocean, Jan. 6, 2026. Munro’s crew monitored the vessel until it was seized by Coast Guard deployable specialized forces, with support from the Department of War, after Bella 1 violated U.S. sanctions and resisted initial boarding attempts off coastal Venezuela in late December. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)

The United States has expanded its sanctions targeting Cuba-linked maritime operations, adding shipping companies and vessels to the Treasury Department’s Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) List.

The measures, announced by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on November 5, 2026, include new designations affecting maritime transport companies operating in Cuba and Panama, alongside additional restrictions and updated listings for tankers associated with previously sanctioned operators.

The latest action forms part of a broader package of Cuba-related sanctions, which also covers businesses operating in other sectors of the Cuban economy.

Maritime companies and vessels added to sanctions list

Among the newly designated companies is Petroleos Maritimos del Caribe S.A., also known as Petromarca S.A., a Havana-based maritime transport company. OFAC also added Internacional Maritima S.A., another Cuban shipping company, and Tentacool Commercial Inc., a Panama-registered company involved in maritime freight transport.

Two vessels were newly designated under the Cuba-related sanctions programme. The first is Emilia, a Cuban-flagged LPG tanker built in 2002 and identified by IMO number 9242209, which OFAC linked to Petroleos Maritimos del Caribe.

The second is Gloria C, a Cuban-flagged chemical and products tanker built in 2010, with IMO number 9540273. The vessel is linked to Caroil Transport Marine Ltd., a company already subject to US sanctions.

OFAC also updated the sanctions entry for Caroil Transport Marine Ltd., adding further identifying information and a Cuba-related designation alongside its existing Venezuela-related sanctions status. The company is listed with addresses in Cyprus and Cuba.

Additional vessel records were amended, including those for Maria Cristina, Esperanza and Lourdes. These updates include vessel identification details, Cuban flag information and additional sanctions references. They should be distinguished from the two vessels newly added to the SDN List.

Implications for maritime operations

Inclusion on the SDN List generally results in the blocking of property and interests in property subject to US jurisdiction and restrictions on transactions involving US persons, unless authorised or exempt under applicable regulations.

The measures also introduce compliance considerations for shipping companies, charterers, financial institutions and maritime service providers that may have dealings with the designated entities or vessels.

The November 5 action was accompanied by a new OFAC determination identifying the electronics, manufacturing, marine and technology sectors of the Cuban economy under Executive Order 14404, expanding the framework for potential future sanctions designations.

The latest designations add to existing US restrictions affecting Cuba’s maritime sector, with the practical impact on individual shipping operations dependent on the parties involved, applicable sanctions rules and any available authorisations.