U.S. forces have seized the Russian-flagged oil tanker Marinera in the North Atlantic, culminating a dramatic two-week naval pursuit and risking a major confrontation with Moscow, which reportedly deployed a submarine to protect the vessel. The U.S. Coast Guard boarded the tanker after tracking it with the cutter USCGC Munro, facing no resistance from the crew.
This bold operation marks the first known U.S. military seizure of a Russian-flagged vessel in recent history and represents a significant escalation in the enforcement of global sanctions. The Marinera, part of the so-called “shadow fleet” moving oil for sanctioned nations, was intercepted in international waters between Iceland and the UK, according to ship-tracking data. The Wall Street Journal reported that several helicopters and at least one coastguard vessel were used to take control of the tanker.
The pursuit began last month after President Donald Trump imposed a “complete blockade” on sanctions-hit Venezuelan oil. The Marinera, formerly named the Bella 1, had turned back into the Atlantic while traveling from Iran to Venezuela, attempting to evade the U.S. blockade. In a tense prelude, the tanker’s crew had successfully repelled an attempted U.S. boarding near Venezuelan waters in December. Following that incident, the vessel was hastily reflagged under the Russian registry, and a Russian flag was painted on its hull—a move that now places Moscow in a diplomatically awkward position.
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Russia’s transport ministry confirmed that U.S. forces boarded the vessel outside any state’s territorial waters and that contact had been lost. The ministry cited the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which generally prohibits the use of force against foreign vessels, and demanded the U.S. ensure the humane treatment and swift return of the Russian citizens onboard. The Kremlin has not yet issued a formal statement, but the operation is certain to strain already-frigid relations, coming amid delicate negotiations over Ukraine and the recent U.S. capture of Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro, a key Kremlin ally.
Why would Moscow risk a standoff over an ageing, reportedly empty tanker? The answer lies in the precedent. Mikhail Zvinchuk, an influential Russian military blogger with ties to the defense ministry, stated the seizure “sets a precedent for further operations against Russia’s so-called shadow fleet, not only in the Atlantic but in other regions of the world as well.” The Marinera was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2024 over allegations it carried cargo for a Hezbollah-owned company. Registry data indicates at least three other tankers operating in Venezuelan waters have recently been reflagged under the Russian banner, suggesting a growing trend of Moscow offering its flag as a shield against U.S. sanctions.
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The operation’s stakes were visibly heightened by reported Russian naval activity. The Wall Street Journal reported that the Russian navy deployed a submarine to escort the tanker. In the 24 hours before the seizure, a surge in Western surveillance flights was detected, including U.S. aircraft from Iceland and UK RAF Rivet Joint and P-8 Poseidon planes, specialized in submarine detection. Britain’s Ministry of Defence confirmed it provided support to the U.S. operation.
This seizure is more than a single ship capture; it’s a forceful demonstration of U.S. reach and a direct challenge to the shadow fleet system that fuels sanctioned regimes. As U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declared on X, “The blockade of sanctioned and illicit Venezuelan oil remains in FULL EFFECT – anywhere in the world.” The Marinera now sits as a stark trophy in this global game of naval chess, its fate set to ripple through diplomatic channels and the opaque world of international oil smuggling.
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