U.S. Coast Guard Seizes two Russian-Flagged Oil Tanker in North Atlantic and Caribbean, Amid Sanctions Enforcement

January 7, 2026--WASHINGTON - U.S. military and Coast Guard forces seized the Russian-flagged oil tanker Marinera, formerly known as the Bella-1, in the North Atlantic on Wednesday, marking a significant escalation in the enforcement of sanctions against vessels linked to Venezuelan oil trade.

The operation, conducted pursuant to a federal court warrant, ended a weeks-long pursuit that began in the Caribbean. U.S. European Command confirmed the seizure, stating the vessel had been tracked by the Coast Guard cutter USCGC Munro after it evaded an initial boarding attempt in December.

The Marinera, sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury since 2024 for its role in transporting illicit oil, had recently changed its name and registered under the Russian flag in an apparent effort to avoid capture. Shipping data indicated the tanker was empty and heading northward, possibly toward a Russian port, when intercepted between Iceland and the United Kingdom.

In a separate but related action, U.S. Southern Command announced the interdiction of another sanctioned tanker, the M/T Sophia, in international waters near the Caribbean. The vessel was described as "stateless" and engaged in illicit activities.

White House officials described both tankers as part of a "shadow fleet" used to evade international sanctions on oil from Venezuela, Iran, and Russia. The seizures align with President Trump's policy to restrict sanctioned oil shipments in the Western Hemisphere.Russia's Ministry of Transport condemned the boarding of the Marinera as a violation of international maritime law, stating it had lost contact with the vessel after U.S. forces intervened. Moscow demanded humane treatment for the crew and their prompt return.

No resistance was reported during the operations, and U.S. authorities indicated the crews could face prosecution if warranted.

The actions come amid broader U.S. efforts to enforce sanctions following recent developments in Venezuela. Analysts note the seizures disrupt networks accused of funding sanctioned regimes while demonstrating U.S. resolve in maritime enforcement.

Video footage released by the Coast Guard showed the USCGC Munro alongside the Marinera during the North Atlantic operation.

Shadows on the High Seas: The Dramatic Seizure of the Ghost Fleet Tankers

In the predawn darkness of January 7, 2026, the vast expanse of the North Atlantic Ocean became the stage for a high-stakes maritime drama that had been building for weeks. The target: a rusty oil tanker known as the Marinera, formerly the Bella-1, a vessel notorious for slipping through international sanctions like a ghost in the fog.It all began in mid-December 2025, when the Bella-1, en route to load Venezuelan crude, evaded a U.S. Coast Guard boarding attempt in the Caribbean. As the USCGC Munro-a legendary Legend-class cutter-gave chase, the tanker's crew resorted to desperate measures.

They hastily painted a fresh Russian flag on the hull, renamed the ship Marinera, and registered it under Russian jurisdiction, homeported in Sochi. It was a blatant bid for protection, hoping the Kremlin's shadow would deter pursuit.But the Munro's crew was relentless. Through treacherous storms and endless gray waves, they shadowed the tanker across thousands of miles of open ocean, from the warm Caribbean waters to the frigid North Atlantic between Iceland and the United Kingdom.

The vessel, part of the infamous "shadow fleet" or "ghost fleet"-a network of aging tankers used by sanctioned nations like Venezuela, Iran, and Russia to evade restrictions through ship-to-ship transfers, flag changes, and AIS signal spoofing-carried no oil this time, but its history of illicit trades, including Iranian shipments, made it a prime target.As the sun rose on that fateful morning, elite U.S. Coast Guard tactical teams, coordinated with the Department of War, launched a precision operation. Helicopters roared overhead, fast-roping boarders onto the deck in a scene straight out of a thriller.

There was no resistance; the crew surrendered peacefully as the Americans secured the bridge and engine room. Pursuant to a federal court warrant for sanctions violations, the Marinera was seized-another victory in President Donald Trump's intensified blockade of Venezuelan oil trade, announced just weeks earlier in December 2025.

Hours later, in a meticulously coordinated back-to-back operation, another ghost fleet tanker fell: the M/T Sophia, a stateless vessel intercepted in international waters near the Caribbean. Described as operating illicitly with ties to Venezuela, it too was boarded without incident and escorted to a U.S. port.Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem praised the operations on X, calling them "two safe, effective boardings within hours of each other" and sharing dramatic footage of the actions.

She lauded the Coast Guard's heroism, particularly the Munro's crew for their unyielding pursuit.The seizures sent ripples across the globe. Russia condemned the boarding of the Marinera as a violation of international maritime law, labeling it "piracy" and demanding the crew's humane treatment and return. Venezuela, long accusing U.S. enforcement of theft, remained vocal in its denunciations.

Yet, with no extreme escalation from Moscow-perhaps uncertain if the tanker was truly part of their official shadow fleet or just a opportunistic flag-painter-the incident underscored America's resolve.In the end, two rogue vessels were neutralized, disrupting networks that fund sanctioned regimes and evade global rules. As Secretary Noem declared, the world's criminals were on notice: "You can run, but you can't hide." On the high seas, under Trump's hemispheric blockade, the ghosts of the shadow fleet were finally laid to rest-one dramatic seizure at a time.