Zombie Ships Are Fast Becoming a Feature of Venezuelan Oil Trade
On Good Friday, an aging supertanker fully laden with oil and calling itself Varada arrived in the waters to the east of Malaysia after a two-month voyage from Venezuela.
The vessel raised some red flags: it was 32 years old, past the age at which it would normally have been scrapped, and it was sailing under the flag of Comoros, a popular flag of convenience that makes ships harder to monitor.
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Metro
4 days ago
- Metro
Doctor Who fans fume that character was 'butchered' as actor speaks out on exit
Doctor Who season 15 came to a divisive end last week, and one show's stars has finally spoken out about her exit. Varada Sethu, who played Belinda Chandrab– the latest companion to join Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor in the Tardis – addressed her exit on Instagram. In an emotional post, the 30-year-old apologised for being 'late to the party' but said she 'needed to take a few days' to process the show, the finale and everything Doctor Who had brought into her life. 'My heart has doubled in size,' she wrote. 'I have felt so so full of gratitude and love, I still feel I haven't found the words to express it. It has been a true gift to know a woman like Belinda, I will never forget our journey together. 'Thank you @ncutigatwa for being my partner in crime, my beloved Doctor. You are unending, pure magic, what a privilege it's been to bear witness to it. Mom & Dad forever❤️ My sweet angel @milliegibbo, thank you for your kindness, for always lifting me up, you have stolen everyone's hearts!! I cannot wait to see what life has in store for you.' Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. Varada finished by thanking the 'beautiful fans' and Russell T Davies, adding she finally understands what he meant when he said her life would 'never be the same again'. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Despite Varada's grateful words, a number of fans aren't happy with how Belinda (and Varada) were treated in the finale with some going so far as to say her character was 'butchered'. 'You and Ncuti deserved BETTER!' wrote ryan__norman__97, while Merrony97 added: 'Fantastic character until the final episode where it completely jumped the shark'. Noinxo wrote, 'Feels incomplete, like someone gave me a book with pages ripped out of it; but leaving the last chapter.' 'They didn't do your character justice, but it was a Beautiful ending to a chapter. Such an amazing cast and amazing characters. Still, though, continue success in everything you do!' Sadly, this feeling that Belinda was done dirty is pretty pervasive in the Doctor Who community at the moment. Across Reddit, X, and Instagram, you'll find countless fans praising Varada for her performance but complaining about the treatment of Belinda in the finale. Their main issue seems to be that the character was established as an independent woman who had her agency stolen from her when the Doctor rewrote reality to bring her 'wish world' child, Poppy, back to life. They believe the Doctor took this decision without considering whether Belinda would have wanted a child in the first place. Our Deputy TV editor Tom Percival gives his verdict… The most recent Doctor Who finale had some moments of greatness, but honestly, for the most part, it was a confusing mess. The episode's big baddies, The Rani and Omega, were dealt with far too quickly, the stuff about Poppy was harder to wrap your heart around than theoretical physics, and don't get me started on Susan's disappearing act. That said, I'd be lying if I said I didn't find Ncuti's final decision to regenerate to save a child quite emotional, and I did enjoy seeing the Time Hotel again. Of course, the elephant in the room is Belinda's ultimate fate. I'm not sure if it was just bad storytelling or a poorly conceived idea, but the Doctor rewriting reality to give a woman a child (without her consent) just left a bad taste in my mouth. You don't have to look far to find fans expressing this view. On another Instagram post, one fan going by the name _raggedywho wrote 'NEVER forgive RTD for what he did to Ar Belinda…' Meanwhile, _ataho_ said, 'The character assassination of Belinda Chandra, Original timeline. Belinda, we mourn you.' On Reddit, Icy_Bandicoot3674 complained that 'Episode 1 Belinda is a completely different character to the rest of the season, and by episode 8, there is absolutely nothing left. She basically doesn't exist from Ep 4 to Ep 8'. This sentiment was echoed by agitatedandroid, who added, Belinda could have been so much more.' 'Perhaps a sort of cross between Donna and Martha. But she was never really given an opportunity to even be Belinda,' they continued. 'And by the end, she's not even the Belinda she started as. Her entire reality is rewritten into what the Doctor wants.' KronksKronk, however, was probably the most withering, labelling Belinda's treatment as 'gross'. More Trending 'The Belinda from episode 1 is… dead in a way, they raged. 'Her whole life got rewritten without her consent, so she suddenly has a kid and an ex-husband, and it gets played off as a victory.' It wasn't just Belinda's fate that annoyed fans who tuned in for the finale. Others were let down by the treatment of the Rani and Omega, two classic villains fans have wanted to see return for years. Others, though, were just disappointed to see Ncuti Gatwa regenerate into Billie Piper, a move criticised by some as stunt casting. Doctor Who is available to stream now on iPlayer. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. View More » MORE: Race Across The World fans moved as episode honours Sam Gardiner after death aged 24 MORE: Former BBC studios where EastEnders was filmed riddled with asbestos MORE: Violent Doctor Who scene 'put show at risk of being cancelled before it started'
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Doctor Who star breaks silence on exit after taking time to 'process'
Doctor Who aired its latest season finale on Saturday night, in which the likes of Ncuti Gatwa, Varada Sethu and Millie Gibson appeared to bid farewell to the BBC show Cast member Varada Sethu has now broken her silence following the season finale of Doctor Who on the weekend. The episode, which featured the departure of her co-star Ncuti Gatwa, is thought to mark her exit from the show. Varada, 33, played companion Belinda Chandra in the latest season of the BBC show. The character made her debut in the first episode, which aired in April, and then bid farewell to the Doctor - played by Ncuti, 32 - in Saturday's finale. The actor has since addressed her apparent departure from Doctor Who in a lengthy post shared on Instagram today. Varada wrote about her experience as a cast member alongside various photos, including several of her and Ncuti. She wrote in the caption: "Wow wow wow wow wow. I'm sooo late to the party (as always), but needed to take a few days to process this show, this finale and everything & everyone it has brought into my life, what it all means. "My heart has doubled in size. I have felt so so full of gratitude and love, I still feel I haven't found the words to express it. It has been a true gift to know a woman like Belinda, I will never forget our journey together." Praising her co-stars, she continued by writing: "Thank you [Ncuti] for being my partner in crime, my beloved Doctor. You are unending, pure magic, what a privilege it's been to bear witness to it. Mom & Dad forever. My sweet angel [ Millie Gibson ], thank you for your kindness, for always lifting me up, you have stolen everyone's hearts!! I cannot wait to see what life has in store for you." Varada then expressed gratitude for some colleagues who worked behind-the-scenes. She wrote: "For teaching me and showing me love & support like I've never known before." She added in the post this week: "Thank you to every beautiful soul involved in this madness." She concluded: "And of course to the beautiful fans, thank you soooo much for embracing Belinda, for all the kind words, all the joy! I think I finally understand what you meant [ Russell T. Davies ] when you said my life would never be the same. I feel transformed. Thank you thank you thank you." The post has amassed more than 16,000 likes and former colleagues reacted in the comments section. Ncuti wrote: "MOM AND DAD FOREVER. Love you endlessly." Whilst co-star Millie said in her reply to Varada: "I LOVE YOU." Varada's post comes after lead Ncuti addressed his own departure from Doctor Who. Last week's season finale, the Reality War, on Saturday night saw his Fifteenth Doctor regenerate - showing Billie Piper in his place - in a bid to save Poppy (played by Sienna-Robyn Mavanga-Phipps), who in one reality was the child of the Doctor and Belinda. In a video message shared by the BBC, Ncuti said: "It's a role that demands a lot of you physically and emotionally and mentally. The actors playing the Doctor are only actors playing the Doctor. Unfortunately, we are mere mortals." Ncuti, who also reflected on the experience elsewhere in the video, released on Saturday, added: "I would love to have the energy and the youth to be able to do this full time for the rest of my life, but my knees are telling me it's time." And in a statement, he said: "You know when you get cast, at some point you are going to have to hand back that sonic screwdriver and it is all going to come to an end, but nothing quite prepares you for it. This journey has been one that I will never forget and a role that will be part of me forever." Ncuti said elsewhere in the statement: "The fans are truly the final character and beating heart of this show and I can't thank the Whoniverse, and the Whovians, enough for welcoming me in, and making this such a touching experience. I've loved every minute of it, but now is the time to hand over the keys to that beloved blue box." There had been speculation over his potential departure in recent months. It came after Ncuti, who starred in two seasons of Doctor Who, reportedly revealed in an unaired moment on the Graham Norton Show in October last year that he would be "filming the third series next year". Amid recent speculation, just days prior to the finale's broadcast, the BBC confirmed to the Mirror that Ncuti had not been "axed". A spokesperson told us at the time: "Whilst we never comment on the future of the Doctor, any suggestion that Ncuti Gatwa has been 'axed' is pure fiction." Addressing the future of the show, they added: "As we have previously stated, the decision on season 3 will be made after season 2 airs and any other claims are just pure speculation. The deal with Disney+ was for 26 episodes – and we still have an entire spin off, The War Between the Land and the Sea, to air. And as for the rest, we never comment on the Doctor and future storylines."
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Yahoo
Zombie Ships Are Fast Becoming a Feature of Venezuelan Oil Trade
(Bloomberg) -- On Good Friday, an aging supertanker fully laden with oil and calling itself Varada arrived in the waters to the east of Malaysia after a two-month voyage from Venezuela. New York City Transit System Chips Away at Subway Fare Evasion NYC's Congestion Toll Raised $159 Million in the First Quarter Newsom Says California Is Now the World's Fourth-Biggest Economy The Last Thing US Transit Agencies Should Do Now At Bryn Mawr, a Monumental Plaza Traces the Steps of Black History The vessel raised some red flags: it was 32 years old, past the age at which it would normally have been scrapped, and it was sailing under the flag of Comoros, a popular flag of convenience that makes ships harder to monitor. For all intents and purposes, though, it seemed like any other so-called dark fleet tanker that carries barrels of sometimes sanctioned oil from producers like Russia, Iran and Venezuela. Except it wasn't. The real Varada, which wasn't sanctioned, had actually been demolished in Bangladesh in 2017. This vessel was what's known as a zombie or phantom ship, which take on the identities of scrapped tankers to appear legitimate and avoid scrutiny from authorities in the US and elsewhere. At least four zombie vessels have emerged in recent weeks in the sensitive Venezuelan oil trade, which has become even more risky since the Trump administration imposed tariffs on countries importing oil from the South American nation. Bloomberg News has used ship-tracking data provided by Starboard Maritime Intelligence and analyzed satellite imagery of the waters off the José and Amuay oil export terminals in Venezuela to identify the four vessels. The images were compared against historical photos of the four ships whose names and unique International Maritime Organization numbers they have usurped. In each case there were major discrepancies between the zombie ships and their scrapped namesakes, including deck shapes, layouts and colors. The four demolished vessels hadn't been sanctioned by any government. The use of zombie tankers allows dark fleet operators to circumvent restrictions on transporting oil. Bloomberg first reported on a zombie ship that showed up at a Chinese port last September, and in November detailed the return of a supposedly scrapped dark-fleet tanker. The ruse is gaining attention within the maritime community, which has long tracked the emergence of a parallel system, including operators, insurers, traders and banks, that supports the dark fleet. Using zombie ships to transport sanctioned oil is part of a growing trend in the illicit trade in the face or tighter scrutiny. As well as using ship-to-ship transfers to mask the origins of the crude, methods such as moving to new transshipment locations, or switching transponders are becoming increasingly popular. 'Third Way' 'Zombie ships are the third way,' said Mark Douglas, a maritime domain analyst at Starboard. 'The thinking is like: 'I can't afford to run my own system, so I'll use another ship's identity to get that oil from point A to point B.'' Varada's imposter was the first of the four tankers leaving Venezuela that, if fully laden, would be carrying a total of 7 million barrels of oil. From José, it sailed across the Atlantic, round the Cape of Good Hope and then through the Indian Ocean, arriving in Malaysian waters on April 18, when it stopped signaling. It stated 'for orders' as its destination, and draft readings indicated it was sitting low in the water, meaning it was heavily laden with oil. Satellite images reviewed by Bloomberg show the zombie ship was still in the area on April 19, 21, 24 and 26. This patch of water off the east coast of peninsular Malaysia is a popular transshipment point, where dark fleet ships transfer oil to other vessel, often before its delivered to Chinese refineries. Asia's largest economy was the No. 1 buyer of Venezuelan oil last month, with 10 tankers taking an average of 461,000 barrels per day to processors, according to US Customs and shipping data. Traders on this route have been known to use a variety of methods to avoid scrutiny so that they can be spared from sanctions, but taking on the identities of demolished ships is a new development. Data from Starboard and Bloomberg suggest that the ship posing as Varada is actually M Sophia, a VLCC built in 2004 that was swept up by US sanctions imposed on Russia's oil industry in January by the outgoing Biden administration. The vessel appears to be spoofing signals that it's in the Gulf of Guinea now. M Sophia fits the profile of a dark ship: it has no known owner, insurer, and appears to sail without a flag. At two recent shipping conferences held in Singapore, including one organized by Vortexa, maritime-intelligence analysts highlighted the tactic of faking IMO identities as a new source of concern. Since Varada's double set sail for Asia, three other tankers recorded as scrapped embarked on similar journeys in recent days. In late March, a ship showing that it's Gema, a VLCC built in 1999, and another that says it's Alana, a 1998-built Suezmax, both left Amuay in Venezuela's west, fully laden with crude. These two tankers have gone around the Cape of Good Hope and appear to be entering the Indian Ocean. In mid-April, a ship identifying as VLCC New Inspiration that was built in 2002 left José, and is heading toward South Africa in the Atlantic Ocean. The emergence of zombie ships is happening as Washington tightens the screws on Venezuela's oil industry, and threatens to penalize countries that take the crude. President Trump's nominee for US sanctions chief recently singled out the South American country, and buyers of its oil. 'President Trump is sending a clear message that access to our economy is a privilege, not a right,' John Hurley recently told a Senate committee. 'Countries importing Venezuelan oil will face consequences.' As More Women Lift Weights, Gyms Might Never Be the Same Why US Men Think College Isn't Worth It Anymore Healthy Sodas Like Poppi, Olipop Are Drawing PepsiCo's and Coca-Cola's Attention Eight Charts Show Men Are Falling Behind, From Classrooms to Careers The Mastermind of the Yellowstone Universe Isn't Done Yet ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
