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U.S. Seizes Another Oil Tanker in Caribbean Amid Venezuelan Oil Clampdown
The United States continues its efforts to control Venezuelan oil exports, seizing another oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea on Friday. This latest action follows a series of seizures as the U.S. enforces a “complete blockade” on Venezuelan oil.
The U.S. Coast Guard and Marines successfully apprehended the Olina overnight, according to military officials. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated on X (formerly Twitter) that the vessel was “suspected of carrying embargoed oil” and had attempted “to evade U.S. forces” upon leaving Venezuela.
U.S. Southern Command also took to X to reaffirm its commitment, posting that it is “unwavering in its mission to defend our homeland by ending illicit activity and restoring security in the Western Hemisphere.”
Their statement detailed the operation: “In a pre-dawn action, Marines and Sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, launched from the USS Gerald R. Ford and apprehended Motor/Tanker Olina in the Caribbean Sea without incident.”
This operation was conducted as part of Joint Task Force Southern Spear.
The increased frequency of these seizures has prompted the Coast Guard to enhance its capabilities for inspecting and repairing foreign tankers, as reported by The Washington Post. Many of the seized vessels are in such poor condition that they cannot be accepted into U.S. ports.
An internal Coast Guard message has called for more personnel to form inspection teams. These teams will be tasked with boarding seized tankers, assessing their condition, and addressing safety concerns before they are brought to U.S. ports.
The message emphasized that eligible personnel must be “capable of offshore boardings and long hours aboard the vessel,” describing the vessels as “stateless and beyond substandard.”
Since President Donald Trump declared a “complete blockade” of Venezuelan oil exports in December, the Coast Guard has seized at least four ships. Prior seizures include The Skipper, currently held offshore near the Port of Galveston, Texas, in mid-December. On Wednesday, the U.S. seized the Bella-1 in the North Atlantic after a weeks-long pursuit, and the Sophia in the Caribbean.
In a related development on Friday, the Kremlin expressed gratitude to Washington for agreeing to release two Russian crew members from the Bella-1. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated on Telegram, “In response to our appeal, U.S.
President Donald Trump has decided to release two Russian citizens from among the crew of the tanker Marinera, who had previously been detained by the American side during an operation in the North Atlantic. We welcome this decision and express our gratitude to the U.S. leadership.”
These “ghost fleets,” like the Bella-1, often operate with fraudulent paperwork or flags, transporting sanctioned oil to destinations such as China. The U.S. government maintains that the proceeds from these oil sales finance narco-terrorism.
Mark Cancian, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, informed The Post that hundreds of such ships exist, often in disrepair. He noted that these vessels “tend to be at the end of their service life – old, in poor condition,” and are denied entry to U.S. ports if they fail to meet safety standards or pose a spill risk.