The United States has seized a Russian‑flagged oil tanker with links to Venezuela after a weeks‑long pursuit across the Atlantic Ocean, in a move that underscores Washington’s enforcement of sanctions on Venezuelan oil shipments.
The vessel, formerly known as Bella‑1 and later renamed Marinera, was intercepted in the North Atlantic under a U.S. federal court warrant for violating American sanctions, the U.S. European Command said in a social media post.
The tanker had been sanctioned by the United States in 2024 for operating within a “shadow fleet” of tankers accused of transporting sanctioned oil. Efforts to seize the vessel began last month when it was near Venezuela, but it initially evaded capture after reversing course and fleeing the area.
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During the chase, the ship’s crew changed its name and registered it under the Russian flag, even painting the Russian flag on the hull in an apparent attempt to claim protection.
Russia formally protested the pursuit, demanding that the United States halt its efforts, and reportedly deployed naval assets, including a submarine, to escort the tanker before the seizure.
The operation marks a rare instance of U.S. forces seizing a Russian‑flagged vessel and comes amid broader tensions between Washington and Moscow over sanctions enforcement. It also follows intensified U.S. pressure on Venezuela’s oil sector, part of a campaign under the current administration to enforce sanctions and disrupt illicit oil trade networks linked to Caracas.
The legal status of the seizure could face complications due to the vessel’s claimed Russian registration, highlighting emerging geopolitical and maritime law challenges arising from sanctions and high‑seas enforcement actions.
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