Tension as US impounds Russian-flagged oil tanker after dramatic Atlantic pursuit

The United States on Wednesday seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic after tracking it from waters off Venezuela, in a high-stakes maritime operation that has heightened tensions between Washington and Moscow.

US authorities said the tanker is part of a “shadow fleet” allegedly used to move oil for sanctioned states including Venezuela, Russia and Iran, in defiance of US sanctions.

The vessel had previously evaded an attempted boarding by the US Coast Guard last month near Venezuela, where a US military raid at the weekend led to the removal of President Nicolás Maduro from power.

Confirming the seizure, US European Command said the tanker was taken under the authority of a warrant issued by a US federal court.

“The vessel was seized in the North Atlantic pursuant to a warrant issued by a US federal court,” the command said in a statement posted on X.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth later said Washington’s blockade on Venezuelan oil exports was now being enforced globally, warning that sanctioned shipments would face interception regardless of location.

Soon after the North Atlantic seizure, the US military announced it had also seized a second tanker linked to Venezuela in the Caribbean Sea, signalling an expanded enforcement campaign.

The Atlantic operation went ahead despite Russia deploying a submarine and other naval assets to escort the tanker, insisting that the ship was lawfully sailing under the Russian flag and far from US territorial waters.

Russia’s foreign ministry criticised the US action, describing the attention given to the vessel by American and NATO forces as unjustified.

“For reasons unclear to us, the Russian vessel is receiving heightened attention from the US and NATO militaries — attention that is clearly disproportionate to its peaceful status,” the ministry said.

The tanker, formerly named Bella-1, had recently switched its registration to Russia, changed its name to Marinera, and reportedly painted a Russian flag on its hull as the pursuit intensified.

The ship had been heading toward Venezuela but was not carrying cargo when it slipped past the US blockade. It has remained under US sanctions since 2024 over alleged connections to Iran and Hezbollah.

The seizure follows sweeping US actions in Venezuela. Over the weekend, US special forces detained Maduro and his wife in Caracas and transported them to New York to face drug-related charges.

Since then, President Donald Trump has declared that the United States will assume control of Venezuela’s oil sector, saying US companies will manage the country’s energy resources.

Trump also announced that Venezuela would transfer between 30 and 50 million barrels of crude oil to the United States, with potential proceeds estimated at more than $2 billion at current market prices.

However, it remains unclear whether Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, has formally approved the arrangement, how it would be executed, or what legal authority underpins it.

Rodríguez, a former vice president and energy minister under Maduro, has pledged cooperation with Washington amid speculation that the United States could pursue broader political changes in the country.

Trump has said the US is now “in charge” of Venezuela and has vowed to assert American dominance across the Western Hemisphere.