U.S. military and Coast Guard personnel have boarded and seized a sanctioned Russia-flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic after a prolonged pursuit that began when the vessel slipped through the U.S. naval blockade around Venezuela.
The ship, known as the Marinera and previously sailed under another name, was tracked for weeks after failing to comply with enforcement actions near Venezuelan waters. American forces intercepted the vessel in international waters far from the Caribbean, executing a boarding operation under authority of a federal court warrant tied to sanctions violations.
Officials from the administration described the tanker as part of a network of ships moving Venezuelan and other sanctioned oil despite restrictions, and noted that the capture supports an ongoing effort to tighten enforcement of maritime sanctions. A second vessel was also intercepted elsewhere in the region as part of the same campaign.
The interception has drawn international attention, with foreign governments expressing concern over the legality of the seizure and the treatment of the crew, which included nationals of Russia. U.S. officials have maintained that the vessel was stateless at the time and subject to lawful seizure under the sanctions regime.
The operation represents a significant escalation in the enforcement of sanctions and naval blockades tied to deepening geopolitical tensions, particularly around Venezuela’s oil trade and global energy markets. The seized tanker is now in U.S. custody as authorities continue to investigate and process the case.