The US military announced the seizure of a second oil tanker linked to Venezuela. The Panama-flagged supertanker, M/T Sophia, was intercepted in the Caribbean Sea during a pre-dawn operation on Wednesday, according to the US Southern Command. The vessel was engaged in illicit activities in international waters, and the US Coast Guard is now escorting it to the United States.
In a separate incident, the US European Command reported capturing a Russian-flagged vessel associated with Venezuelan oil in the North Atlantic. The vessel, formerly known as Bella 1 and now named Marinera, was apprehended for violating US sanctions after a tracking operation that lasted over two weeks. The interception occurred as the Marinera was traveling northeast between Iceland and Scotland.
The UK Ministry of Defence confirmed that British forces, along with RAF aircraft and the naval supply ship RFA Tideforce, supported the operation in the Atlantic. Defence Secretary John Healey praised the UK Armed Forces for their role in assisting the US interception of the vessel, emphasizing the importance of combating sanctions violations globally.
Healey described the Marinera as a “falsely flagged” vessel with a history of illicit activities and connections to Iran and Russia. UK bases were used to support the operation, but British personnel were not directly involved in boarding the ship. American and British surveillance aircraft were observed monitoring the Marinera’s movements in the Atlantic region.
Following the tanker seizures, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed concerns about escalating tensions with Russia and China. Leavitt emphasized President Biden’s commitment to enforcing policies that safeguard US interests, including cracking down on illegal oil transportation by dark-fleet vessels.
The Russian transport ministry issued a statement expressing disapproval of the vessel seizures, citing the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea to assert that no state should use force against vessels registered in other jurisdictions. Kremlin adviser Andrei Fedorov cautioned that any aggressive actions against the vessel could strain relations between Russia and the US.
The situation involving the seized tankers has raised diplomatic concerns, but US officials have reiterated their commitment to enforcing embargoes on vessels engaged in unlawful oil transport to protect national security interests.
