The United States executed a seizure of two oil tankers associated with Venezuela on Wednesday, including the Russian-flagged Marinera, previously known as the Bella-1, which had circumvented a U.S. blockade in December, reports Baltimore Chronicle with reference to ABC. The Marinera was located in the North Atlantic during the operation, according to three individuals familiar with the mission, which was conducted by the U.S. Coast Guard in coordination with other military assets. Russian naval vessels were reportedly present in the vicinity as the seizure took place.
U.S. European Command confirmed the capture of the Marinera through a post on X, while Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the simultaneous apprehension of a second tanker in international waters near the Caribbean. “In two predawn operations today, the Coast Guard conducted back-to-back meticulously coordinated boardings of two ‘ghost fleet’ tankers — one in the North Atlantic and one in international waters near the Caribbean,” Noem stated 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.”
Video footage released by Secretary Noem showed the Motor Tanker Sophia being intercepted in the Caribbean on January 7, 2026. The U.S. Coast Guard had been tracking the Marinera for the previous two weeks following an unsuccessful seizure attempt on December 20, when the vessel, then empty, was in the Caribbean reportedly heading toward Venezuela. By December 31, the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping had re-registered the ship under the new name Marinera as a Russian vessel, with the crew painting a Russian flag on its side.
Previously, the Bella-1 had operated under a false Panamanian flag and is believed to have been part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” accused of evading international sanctions. The ship’s recent activation of its transponder allowed maritime tracking websites to confirm its position in the North Atlantic, near Iceland and the United Kingdom. The UK government publicly expressed support for the U.S. seizure of the Russian-flagged tanker.
The Russian Ministry of Transport issued a statement condemning the U.S. action, asserting that the seizure occurred in international waters outside any nation’s jurisdiction. The ministry emphasized that “no state has the right to use force against vessels duly registered in the jurisdictions of other states.” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described the vessel as part of the “Venezuelan shadow fleet,” deemed stateless after flying a false flag, and indicated that the crew would face legal consequences under U.S. law.
In December, former President Donald Trump announced a blockade targeting sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reiterated that the enforcement of this blockade remained in full effect globally. “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 stated on X.
Trump further announced on Tuesday that Venezuela would transfer 30 to 50 million barrels of sanctioned oil to U.S. authorities. Sources confirmed these barrels represent the initial portion of oil to come under U.S. control. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized the strategic leverage the U.S. now maintains over Venezuela’s oil industry and indicated that Caracas intends for the recently seized oil to be integrated into its planned export agreement with the U.S. “We are about to execute a deal to take all the oil. They have oil trapped in Venezuela due to sanctions and our quarantine. We are going to take between 30 and 50 million barrels,” Rubio told reporters following a classified briefing on Capitol Hill. Rubio added that Venezuela recognizes cooperation with the United States is essential to move oil legally and generate revenue without causing economic collapse.
Earlier we wrote that Schumer Condemns Trump’s Venezuelan Strike as Illegal and Warns of Endless Conflict.
