The United States captured a Russian-flagged oil tanker on Wednesday following a more than two-week pursuit across the Atlantic, according to US authorities, as part of a continued attempt to halt Venezuelan oil exports.
The Marinera, originally known as the Bella-1, has previously avoided US naval blockades in the Caribbean and resisted Coast Guard boarding attempts.
According to the United States Military European Command, the seizure was conducted in response to violations of US sanctions.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth highlighted that the boycott on sanctioned Venezuelan oil was still in “FULL EFFECT—anywhere in the world.”
Two US officials, speaking to Reuters on the condition of anonymity, confirmed that Coast Guard and military troops were involved in the operation.
Russian naval assets, including a submarine, were reported close, but there was no hint of a conflict between US and Russian forces.
The operation appeared to be the US military’s first recent seizure of a Russian-flagged vessel. Russian official media RT shared an image of a helicopter near the Marinera, although Moscow did not react at the time.
Uncertain destination of seized tanker
It is unclear where the Marinera will be carried, but sources believe it may reach British territorial seas. The British Ministry of Defence declined to comment.
Following prior failed US boarding attempts, the tanker registered under the Russian flag and took on a new name.
The seizure came shortly after US special forces raided Caracas to apprehend Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who was later turned over to US federal authorities for trial on drug trafficking accusations.
Second Venezuelan-linked tanker intercepted
Separately, the United States Coast Guard apprehended another Venezuela-linked vessel on Wednesday.
The Panama-flagged supertanker M Sophia, which US Southern Command identified as a “stateless, sanctioned dark fleet motor tanker,” was intercepted in Latin American waters before sunrise.
The Coast Guard is transporting the vessel to the United States for eventual disposition.
The M Sophia left Venezuelan waters in early January as part of a flotilla transporting oil to China in “dark mode,” with its transponder switched off, according to shipping data and sources.
The Trump administration’s focus on Venezuelan oil
The United States has increased its efforts to limit Venezuela’s oil exports as part of a larger strategy under President Donald Trump.
Venezuelan officials have branded Maduro’s abduction as a kidnapping and accused the US of seeking to grab the country’s oil reserves, which are believed to be the world’s greatest.
In reaction, Trump and other senior US officials accused Venezuela of misappropriating US oil, citing the country’s previous nationalisation of its energy industry.
Since the United States imposed energy sanctions on Venezuela in 2019, many customers have depended on a “shadow fleet” of tankers that operate surreptitiously or use boats already sanctioned for hauling Iranian or Russian crude.
Analysts have warned that these fleets could face punitive measures from the United States.
Despite concerns, Trump claimed on Tuesday that Caracas and Washington had negotiated an agreement to export up to $2 billion in Venezuelan petroleum to the United States.
This agreement would reroute supplies from China while allowing Venezuela to avoid further output restrictions.
Trump has pressured interim President Delcy Rodriguez to give the United States and private corporations “total access” to Venezuela’s oil industry, indicating that the US has significant influence in the continuing negotiations.
Marinera and M Sophia reflect on escalating US enforcement
The Marinera and M Sophia are the latest tankers targeted by the United States Coast Guard in its attempt to impose sanctions on Venezuelan oil.
These seizures demonstrate Washington’s determination to utilise military and marine resources to continue pressure on the Venezuelan government, while also indicating that Russian-flagged and other foreign vessels are not immune to US enforcement measures.
The current occurrences show both the complexities of international maritime law enforcement and the growing geopolitical stakes in Venezuelan energy exports.
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