US naval forces have boarded and seized a runaway Russian shadow fleet tanker in the North Atlantic, the latest in a series of moves by Washington against vessels linked to illegal trade in Venezuelan oil.
The US European Command said in a statement on social media on January 7 that the tanker, the Marinera, formerly named the Bella 1, was seized in the north Atlantic Ocean between Iceland and the United Kingdom.
“The vessel was seized in the North Atlantic pursuant to a warrant issued by a US federal court after being tracked by USCGC [US Coast Guard Cutter] Munro,” it said.
Earlier, Russian media showed a US helicopter hovering near the tanker amid reports from several media outlets quoting sources as saying an operation was being carried out involving the vessel.
The move comes days after US forces struck Venezuela and captured its leader, Nicolas Maduro, in a dramatic raid that sent shock waves around the world.
US forces have already seized two ships as part of a campaign against Venezuela in recent weeks: the Skipper on December 10 and the Centuries on December 20.
US President Donald Trump said at the time that he was ordering a “blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela.
The Bella-1 set out from Iran for Venezuela — reportedly to load oil from the US sanctioned nation. In December, the US Coast Guard attempted to board the ship as it approached Venezuelan waters.
That was repelled and the vessel quickly headed into the Atlantic and renamed the Marinera. It was added to an official Russian shipping registry with crew members painting a Russian flag on it.
The “Motor Tanker Bella I, has been trying to evade the Coast Guard for weeks, even changing its flag and painting a new name on the hull while being pursued, in a desperate and failed attempt to escape justice,” Homeland Security Secretary Kirsti Noem said in a post on X.
Moscow had lodged a formal diplomatic protest demanding that Washington halt its pursuit of the ship, which has been under US sanctions since July 2024.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry has said the vessel was operating “in full compliance with the norms of international maritime law.” According to media reports, Moscow sent a submarine and other naval assets to escort the ship to Russia.
US officials also have accused the ship of being involved in carrying illicit cargo for a company owned by Hezbollah, the Lebanon-based group designated as a terrorist organization by the United States.
Shortly after US officials announced the seizure of the Marinera, US Southern Command it had apprehended another sanctioned tanker in international waters in the Caribbean.
In a separate operation, the US Southern Command said it had “apprehended a stateless, sanctioned dark fleet motor tanker without incident.”
“The interdicted vessel, M/T Sophia, was operating in international waters and conducting illicit activities in the Caribbean Sea. The U.S. Coast Guard is escorting M/T Sophia to the U.S. for final disposition,” it added.
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