The US seized two oil tankers connected to Venezuela, including the Russian-flagged Marinera oil tanker that had circumvented a blockade late last year.
According to sources familiar with the operation, Russian military vessels were near when the seizure by the U.S. Coast Guard and other military entities happened.
Another tanker in the Caribbean was also seized, according to DHS head Kristi Noem.
“In two predawn operations today, the Coast Guard conducted back-to-back meticulously coordinated boarding of two ‘ghost fleet’ tanker ships — one in the North Atlantic Sea and one in international waters near the Caribbean,” Noem said in a post on X. “Both vessels — the Motor Tanker Bella 1 and the Motor [Tanker] Sophia — were either last docked in Venezuela or en route to it.”
The Coast Guard had been surveilling the Marinera for the past two weeks and attempted to seize it on Dec. 20. On Dec. 31, the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping listed the ship as a Russian vessel. The Russian flag was painted on the side by the crew.
The Bella-1 flew a Panamanian flag and is allegedly part of Russia’s “shadow fleet.” Moscow has been accused of using Bella-1 to avoid international sanctions.
Although the United Kingdom issued a statement in support of the U.S. seizure of the tanker, the Russian Ministry of Transport decried the move.
“U.S. naval forces boarded the vessel in international waters outside the territorial waters of any state, and contact with the vessel was lost,” the statement read. “No state has the right to use force against vessels duly registered in the jurisdictions of other states.”
