> At a Glance
> – The U.S. captured the Russian-flagged Marinera in the North Atlantic
> – The tanker had switched names from Bella 1 and was on the sanctions list since June 2024
> – 13 C-17A Globemaster III transports and multiple surveillance aircraft deployed to U.K. waters
> – Why it matters: The seizure tightens the U.S. blockade on Venezuelan oil and raises Moscow-Washington tensions
A weeks-long maritime pursuit ended Wednesday when federal agents boarded the 4,000 km-offshore tanker, citing violations of U.S. sanctions on Venezuelan crude.
The Pursuit
The Coast Guard cutter Munro tracked the vessel after it left Venezuelan waters last month. A federal warrant authorized the operation, led by Homeland Security with military support.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declared:
> “The blockade of sanctioned and illicit Venezuelan oil remains in FULL EFFECT – anywhere in the world.”
Sanctions Evasion Tactics
The ship’s operators tried to dodge detection by:
- Renaming from Bella 1 to Marinera
- Switching flag registries
- Operating within the so-called dark fleet
| Vessel | Old Flag | New Flag |
|---|---|---|
| Malak → Sintez | Comoros | Russia |
| Dianchi → Expander | Guyana | Russia |
| Veronica → Galileo | Comoros | Russia |
Russian Reaction
The Russian Foreign Ministry protested:
> “Our vessel is navigating international waters under the Russian flag and in full compliance with maritime law.”
State outlet RT aired footage claiming an attempted hijacking, while flight trackers logged U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidons, a KC-135 tanker, C-130Js, and U-28A Dracos circling Scotland’s west coast.
Key Takeaways
- The Marinera is the latest of several tankers snared in the widening sanctions dragnet
- At least three other vessels have flipped to Russian flags near Venezuela
- U.S. Southern Command says it will keep hunting sanctioned vessels across the region
With military aircraft crowding U.K. skies and another tanker in custody, Washington shows it is ready to chase sanctioned oil far beyond the Caribbean.
