In a recent development, authorities have managed to identify the mystery vessel responsible for the devastating oil spill off the coast of Tobago in Trinidad & Tobago. The vessel, known as the "Gulfstream," was discovered through extensive research conducted by Bellingcat and their Discord community. While the vessel remains unregistered with the International Maritime Organization (IMO), it is believed to be an unpowered barge, which explains the lack of a registration number.

The Ministry of National Security of Trinidad & Tobago announced on February 14, 2024, that two vessels were involved in the oil spill incident. One of the vessels was identified as a Panama-registered tugboat named Solo Creed, bound for Guyana. The other vessel, which was leaking "black, oily deposits" off the Tobago coast, remained unnamed by the Ministry but matches the description of the Gulfstream barge.

Various pieces of evidence led to the identification of the Gulfstream. An image shared on ShipSpotting.com revealed the presence of "pigeonhole" ladders on the side of the vessel's hull, a distinctive feature commonly found on unpowered barges. Research on TugboatInformation.com also showed that the tugboat Marlin was linked to the Gulfstream barge, operating as an articulated tug and barge system (ATB).

Further comparison of photographs from 2008 and 2009 with the capsized vessel in Tobago confirmed the presence of matching features, such as the position of pigeonholes and sacrificial anodes. Dive footage shown during a press conference by the Tobago House of Assembly also indicated similarities between a structure on the seabed and the lighting towers on the deck of the Gulfstream barge.

Records from Equasis revealed that the tugboat Marlin, previously associated with the Gulfstream, was sold in 2012 to San Martin Group Ltd, a Panamanian company. AIS data and satellite imagery traced the subsequent movements of the Marlin and the Gulfstream, including visits to petroleum ports in Venezuela and the Caribbean.

The Gulfstream was last seen in imagery from Planet Labs PBC and Google Earth floating offshore from the ASTINAVE shipyard on February 22, 2022. The cessation of AIS signals and the vessel's absence at ASTINAVE since then have raised suspicions, although the reasons behind the lack of AIS transmission remain unclear.

The discovery of the Gulfstream as the mystery vessel sheds light on the potential involvement of unregistered barges in transporting sanctioned oil from countries like Iran and Venezuela. These "ghost fleets" have been on the rise in recent years, operating under the radar and often poorly maintained.

The identification of the Gulfstream marks a significant development in understanding the cause of the oil spill in Trinidad & Tobago. Efforts to clean up the affected areas and mitigate the environmental impact are underway, with local volunteers playing a crucial role in the remediation process.

This article will be updated as more information becomes available regarding the ongoing investigation into the oil spill incident.

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