WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao has received its first shipment of Venezuelan crude oil under a newly approved international storage and trading arrangement, a development the government describes as a strategic opportunity for the island’s energy and logistics sectors.
Last week, the U.S. government approved the transport and storage of an estimated 50 million barrels of Venezuelan crude oil in the Caribbean region, with the intention of selling these volumes at a later stage on international markets, particularly in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Within this framework, Bullen Bay in Curaçao was designated as one of the key storage and distribution terminals.
International commodity trading companies Trafigura and Vitol are using the services of the Bullen Bay terminal and are responsible for the transportation and commercialization of significant volumes of crude oil worldwide.
The government announced that the first tanker, the MV Regina, has now arrived in Curaçao carrying Venezuelan crude destined for storage at Bullen Bay. The vessel’s arrival marks an important milestone for Curaçao’s energy and port sectors and signals a concrete step toward reactivating the island’s role in the global energy logistics chain.
According to the government, this development underscores Curaçao’s strategic importance, both because of its geographic location and its high-quality oil infrastructure. It also represents a renewed opportunity for the island to actively utilize its logistical capacity in support of economic growth and employment.
The government expressed appreciation for the management and employees of 2Bays and CRU, praising their professionalism, determination, and intensive efforts in making the operation possible. Officials noted that the development demonstrates Curaçao’s ability to respond quickly to geopolitical and geo-economic opportunities and to translate them into tangible benefits for the local economy.
With Bullen Bay’s strategic location and its capacity to accommodate some of the largest tankers in the world, authorities anticipate that additional vessels will arrive in the coming period. The government says it views this development with great confidence, as it reinforces Curaçao’s position as a reliable, professional, and strategic partner in international energy and trade, further strengthening the island’s role as a key logistics hub in the Caribbean.