Marinera tanker seizure: US authorities take control of Russian-flagged ship in Atlantic

The Marinera tanker seizure follows a two-week Atlantic pursuit, with US agencies targeting a Russian-flagged vessel suspected of violating sanctions and transporting Venezuelan and Iranian oil

The United States has successfully taken control of the Marinera tanker after a two-week pursuit across the Atlantic, US European Command announced via posts on X. Previously flying under the Russian flag, the vessel has a history of transporting Venezuelan crude oil.

According to the announcement, “The Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Department of Defense, executed the Marinera tanker seizure based on a US federal court warrant. The vessel was tracked by the US Coast Guard cutter Munro before being intercepted in the North Atlantic.”

The operation aligns with President Donald Trump’s directive to target sanctioned vessels that threaten the security and stability of the Western Hemisphere. US officials reported that personnel boarded the tanker—formerly named Bella 1—and confirmed its involvement in sanction violations, including transporting oil from Iran.

Russia Today released images showing a helicopter involved in the boarding operation, with Russian media reporting military personnel on board. The ship, renamed Marinera, had changed its flag to Russian and painted a tricolor on its hull in an apparent attempt to avoid seizure. Reports indicate that Russia deployed naval vessels and, in one instance, a submarine, in an effort to protect the tanker, but without success.

Meanwhile, another tanker linked to the so-called “dark fleet” was intercepted in the Caribbean. The US Southern Command posted on X that, “This morning, in a pre-dawn operation, the Department of Defense, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, stopped an unflagged motor tanker belonging to the so-called dark fleet, with no incidents reported.” The M/T Sophia, conducting illicit operations in international waters, is now being escorted to the United States by the US Coast Guard.

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(Photo: © AndKronos)