The Daily Journal. — The United States received its first shipment of Venezuelan aluminum since 2018 on Monday, with approximately 15,000 metric tons produced by state-owned CVG Venalum and unloaded in Louisiana.
The shipment arrived at the Port of Avondale, near New Orleans, as part of an operation involving U.S. firm Heeney Capital and Swiss commodities trader Mercuria, according to information about the transaction.
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum attended the shipment’s arrival and has argued that Venezuela could become a source of raw materials for U.S. industry.
Burgum had already said in September, during a G20 energy meeting in Houston, that Venezuela could become a strategic partner for the United States, citing opportunities in sectors such as mining, minerals, coal and power generation.
“Aluminum is foundational to a modern industrial economy. It’s in our televisions, cars, airplanes, phones, power lines and appliances.
Thanks to @POTUS, 15,000 metric tons of aluminum just arrived from Venezuela to the United States!”
— Secretary Doug Burgum, October 5, 2026
Jarrod Agen, executive director of the White House National Energy Dominance Council, also highlighted the operation, in line with the Donald Trump administration’s strategy to expand U.S. access to strategic resources.
Venalum seeks to restore capacity
The shipment is a one-off operation and, given its volume, does not signal a recovery of Venezuela’s aluminum industry. Its significance lies primarily in reopening a trade route that had remained inactive for years.
CVG Venalum, located in Ciudad Guayana, is one of the main assets within Venezuela’s state-owned basic industries complex. Restoring its production capacity will require investment in infrastructure, energy, maintenance, and equipment after years of operational deterioration.
Heeney Capital has said the shipment forms part of a broader initiative and that additional exports to the United States could follow. However, the parties have not publicly disclosed the shipment’s value, the price Venalum received, or a definitive timetable for future shipments.
The operation also comes as Mercuria explores agreements involving Venalum, which could create opportunities for greater participation by international operators in commercializing Venezuelan aluminum.
With information from Bloomberg
