US forces seize oil tanker linked with Russia, Venezuela in North Atlantic

WASHINGTON -- US European Command said it has seized an empty oil tanker linked with Venezuela and registered as a Russian vessel in the North Atlantic in an operation on Wednesday.

"The @TheJusticeDept & @DHSgov, in coordination with the @DeptofWar today announced the seizure of the M/V Bella 1 for violations of US sanctions. The vessel was seized in the North Atlantic pursuant to a warrant issued by a US federal court after being tracked by USCGC Munro," said the Command in a post on social media X.

The seizure of the oil tanker Marinera, formerly known as Bella-1, which has been under the US sanctions targeting Iran, was made after an active pursuit since late December by US forces, according to CBS News and other US media reports.

It was the third oil tanker intercepted by the United States since last month.

Russian military vessels were in the area as the US operation unfolded Wednesday, according to media reports.

USCGC (the United States Coast Guard Cutter) Munro mentioned in the Command's post is a Legend-class National Security Cutter designed for long-range, high-end missions. It is one of the largest ships in the US Coast Guard fleet.

US P-8 surveillance aircraft, deployed in Suffolk, England, had surveilled the tanker for days ahead of its seizure, according to US media outlets, citing open-source flight data.

The oil tanker was in the Caribbean and apparently headed to Venezuela to load cargo when it was chased by the US Coast Guard about two and a half weeks ago. It then retreated into the Atlantic Ocean.

On Dec 31, it was listed by the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping as a Russian vessel with the new name of Marinera. The ship's crew also painted a Russian flag on the ship's side.

Russia reportedly filed a formal diplomatic request last month demanding that the United States stop attempts to seize the tanker.

US President Donald Trump ordered a "full and total blockade" of all sanctioned tankers entering or leaving Venezuela last month.

On Dec 10, US forces seized the oil tanker Skipper near Venezuelan waters and announced the US plans to keep its oil cargo.

On Dec 20, the US Coast Guard boarded the Centuries off Venezuela, a Panamanian-flagged supertanker that was not on Washington's sanctions list. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said on X that the crude oil aboard the Centuries originated from Venezuela's state-owned oil company PDVSA, which is under US sanctions.