US seizes Russian-flagged oil tanker in Atlantic after week-long chase | How did it unfold
The oil tanker, previously named Bella 1, had not allowed the US forces to board the vessel last month and had later switched to Russian registration.
The US forces seized two Venezuela-linked oil tankers in the Atlantic Ocean on Wednesday, including one sailing under the Russian flag, as part of the Trump administration's aggressive approach to dominate oil flows in the Americas.
Following Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's capture on Saturday during a military raid on Caracas, Washington is increasing the blockade of vessels ferrying sanctioned oil and going in and out of the South American nation, which is a member of the OPEC oil producers group.
Additionally, the White House stated that the administration plans to revoke some of the sanctions imposed by Trump on Venezuelan oil in 2019 during his first term, news agency Reuters reported.
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The seizure came after a dramatic, week-long chase across the Atlantic, which came to an end on Wednesday morning when the US Coast Guard and US military special forces apprehended the crude oil tanker named Marinera with a judicial seizure warrant.
Marinera, previously named Bella 1, did not allow the US forces to board the vessel last month. It later switched its registration to that under Russia's flag, officials reportedly said.
The oil tanker had earlier failed to dock in Venezuela and load oil. Despite it being an empty vessel, the US forces continued to pursue the ship into the Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Following the US forces' attempt to board the vessel in December, the tanker's crew painted a Russian flag on its side, changed its name to Marinera and altered its registration under Russian ownership. Russia even sent a submarine to escort the empty, rusting tanker, the WSJ report had said.
Three US officials had also said that Moscow had asked Washington to stop pursuing the oil tanker near Venezuela.
The oil tanker became the latest flashpoint in the relations between the US and Russia.
The seizure, however, risked more confrontation with Russia, which has already condemned America's actions over Venezuela and is at odds with the US amid Ukraine peace talks.
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US Vice President JD Vance told Fox News that the vessel was a "fake Russian oil tanker". He said, "They basically tried to pretend to be a Russian oil tanker in an effort to avoid the sanctions regime."
On Wednesday, the US Coast Guard intercepted another vessel carrying Venezuelan oil, a Panama-flagged tanker named M Sophia, near the northeast coast of South America, US officials were cited as saying. This marked the fourth such seizure in recent weeks.
M Sophia was fully loaded, according to records from Venezuela's state oil company, PDVSA.
Shadow fleet targeted
The Marinera, formerly Bella 1, was an empty, stateless vessel with a false flag when the US forces began pursuing it. The oil tanker was reportedly subject to a judicial seizure order.
The US had sanctioned the oil tanker for allegedly ferrying black-market Iranian oil on behalf of US-designated terrorist organisations aligned with Iran.
The US said that both the seized tankers, Marinera and M Sophia, belong to a "shadow fleet" of tankers used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran.
Deputy White House chief of staff Stephen Miller said in a statement, "The only maritime energy transport allowed will be that consistent with American law and national security."
"There is unlimited economic potential for the Venezuelan energy sector through legitimate and authorised commercial avenues established by the United States," Miller was quoted as saying by Reuters.
Attorney General Pam Bondi, in a separate statement, said that the Marinera's crew made "frantic efforts to avoid apprehension" and "failed to obey" the orders of the Coast Guard, saying that this is why it also faces criminal charges.
US announces Venezuela oil plans
Earlier on Tuesday, Trump announced that Venezuela's interim government will turn over 30 to 50 million barrels of sanctioned oil to the US, which will be sold at its market price.
Trump said that this money would be controlled by him as the President of the United States to ensure that the funds are utilised for the benefit of the people of Venezuela and America.
In accordance with the current prices for the US benchmark West Texas Intermediate, the volume defined by Trump could be valued at over $2.8 billion, Bloomberg reported.
Venezuela is sitting on massive oil reserves, but its production has drastically declined since the 1970s after decades of stress and the exodus of some American oil companies.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Wednesday that in order to enable the deal Trump announced, the US is "selectively rolling back sanctions" on Venezuelan oil.
Late on Wednesday, Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodriguez said that her country is open to a deal with the US. "Venezuela is open to energy relations where all parties benefit," she said during a meeting with the leadership of the country's national assembly.
Venezuela's state oil company, PDVSA, also confirmed that it was in negotiations with the US, adding that the terms on the table are based on "strictly commercial transactions under terms that are legal, transparent and beneficial for both parties".
Crude oil prices also took a hit on Wednesday due to the anticipated increase in supplies released by the US President's plan.
