(NEW YORK) — The U.S. on Wednesday seized two oil tankers linked to Venezuela, including the Russian-flagged Marinera oil tanker formerly known as the Bella-1 that had evaded a U.S. blockade back in December.
The Marinera was transiting in the North Atlantic, according to three sources familiar with the operation. The operation was being carried out by the U.S. Coast Guard and other military assets, according to one source. Russian military vessels were in the area as the situation unfolded.
In a post on X, U.S. European Command confirmed the seizure of the tanker in the North Atlantic.
The U.S. on Wednesday also seized another tanker in the Caribbean, according to Homeland Security Secretary 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 U.S. Coast Guard has been tracking the Marinera tanker for the last two weeks after attempting to seize it on Dec. 20 when the empty ship was in the Caribbean and apparently headed to Venezuela.
On Dec. 31, the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping listed the ship — with the new name of Marinera — as a Russian vessel. The ship’s crew also painted a Russian flag on the ship’s side.
The Bella-1 previously flew a false Panamanian flag and is suspected to be part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” which Moscow is accused of using to evade international sanctions.
The ship recently activated its transponder, allowing open-source maritime tracking websites to locate the ship as being in the North Atlantic Ocean close to Iceland and the United Kingdom.
The United Kingdom issued a statement saying it supported the U.S. seizure of the Russian-flagged tanker.
The Russian Ministry of Transport issued a statement Wednesday condemning the seizure of the oil tanker in the North Atlantic.
“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. The ministry added, “No state has the right to use force against vessels duly registered in the jurisdictions of other states.”
President Donald Trump in December announced what he called a “blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers in and out Venezuela.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday posted the “blockade of sanctioned and illicit Venezuelan oil remains in FULL EFFECT — anywhere in the world.”
“The United States continues to enforce the blockade against all dark fleet vessels illegally transporting Venezuelan oil to finance illicit activity, stealing from the Venezuelan people. Only legitimate and lawful energy commerce—as determined by the U.S.—will be permitted,” Hegseth posted to X.
The Trump administration intends to oversee the sale of Venezuala’s oil indefinitely and some sanctions against Venezuela will be lifted, two sources familiar with the plan told ABC News.
Wednesday’s oil tanker seizures comes just days after U.S. forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. Maduro is facing federal charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy and conspiracy to import cocaine, to which he’s pleaded not guilty.
Since the dramatic capture, questions have swirled about who is running Venezuela and how. Trump said earlier this week the U.S. was “in charge” of the South American nation. Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, said the Venezuelan government is in control, “no one else,” during a press conference Tuesday.
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