THE United States military has seized a Russian‑flagged oil tanker with connections to Venezuela in the North Atlantic, bringing to a close a pursuit that lasted more than two weeks.
The vessel, now registered as the Marinera but previously known as Bella‑1, was intercepted after repeatedly evading a US maritime blockade designed to curb shipments of sanctioned Venezuelan crude. US officials said the operation was carried out by the Coast Guard in concert with military forces.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth reaffirmed Washington’s stance on social media, declaring that efforts to block “sanctioned and illicit Venezuelan oil” remained fully in force around the world.
According to US sources, the tanker is part of a so‑called “shadow fleet” of ageing vessels used to transport oil on behalf of countries such as Venezuela, Russia and Iran in apparent breach of US sanctions.
The Marinera had earlier slipped through a blockade in the Caribbean and turned back into the Atlantic after refusing a boarding attempt by the US Coast Guard. Tracking data showed the ship approaching Iceland’s exclusive economic zone ahead of the seizure.
Russian state media reported that US forces attempted to board the vessel from a helicopter and released images purporting to show the aircraft near the tanker. They also said a US Coast Guard cutter had shadowed the ship for some time, including during rough weather.
Moscow has confirmed that Russian naval assets, including a submarine, were in the vicinity during the operation, although it is unclear how close they were to the tanker. The Russian government has not officially acknowledged dispatching these vessels but said it was monitoring the situation, criticising the US pursuit as disproportionate.
The Russian Foreign Ministry, as quoted by state media, stressed that the Marinera, which now flies the Russian flag, was operating in international waters and in compliance with maritime law, and urged Western nations to respect its freedom of navigation.
Washington sanctions the tanker for its alleged role in smuggling oil for a company linked to the Lebanese group Hezbollah. The vessel was first targeted in December when US authorities attempted to board it near Venezuela, an effort that was rebuffed before it made the Atlantic crossing.
The latest interception comes amid heightened US enforcement of sanctions on Venezuelan oil exports following the controversial US military operation in Caracas at the weekend.
