VENEECONOMIST
Analysis Type D — Risk · AUGUST 25, 2026

Venezuela's oil ports: why sold crude waits up to 30 days to load

General license 30B has authorized operating and using Venezuelan ports since February 2026, so the bottleneck is not regulatory: close to 70% of exports leave through the Jose terminal, and at Guaraguao, in Puerto La Cruz, only two of seven docks were in service in mid-August. The state company pays demurrage in crude, which is why the surcharge shows up on no expense line.

Published August 25, 2026

Washington authorized everything needed to operate and use Venezuelan ports six months ago. A tanker arriving to load today can wait thirty days. The second constraint does not lift with a license.

Venezuela is selling crude faster than its terminals can ship it. The export ceiling is set by no regulator: it is set by the condition of the docks. And it has a price, which the state company pays in barrels.

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Classification
Analysis Type D — Risk
Energía · Logística de exportación
August 25, 2026
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VENE · ECONOMIST Intelligence Unit · Informational analysis. Does not constitute investment, legal or tax advice. Vene Economist is not a credit rating agency; the "VE Verdict" is a proprietary editorial indicator, not a credit rating. Always verify against the primary source before making decisions.

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