In a high-stakes maritime operation, the United States has seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic near Iceland. The dramatic capture on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, culminated a pursuit that lasted for more than two weeks across the ocean.
Dramatic Atlantic Pursuit Ends in Seizure
According to U.S. officials who spoke to Reuters, the vessel, originally named Bella-1, had previously managed to slip through an American maritime blockade in the Caribbean. It had also resisted earlier attempts by the U.S. Coast Guard to board it. The tanker later registered under a Russian flag and was renamed Marinera.
The operation was a joint effort by the Coast Guard and U.S. military forces. Intriguingly, the tanker was shadowed by a Russian submarine during the chase, though officials reported no signs of direct confrontation. Russian state media outlet RT published an image showing a helicopter hovering near the ship, but Moscow did not immediately issue an official comment.
Part of Broader Venezuela Pressure Campaign
This seizure marks a significant escalation in Washington’s ongoing blockade of Venezuelan oil exports. Officials confirmed this appears to be the first time in recent memory that the U.S. military has taken control of a Russian-flagged vessel.
The action is directly linked to sanctions enforcement. U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth stated on social media platform X: "The blockade of sanctioned and illicit Venezuelan oil remains in FULL EFFECT — anywhere in the world." The U.S. European Command confirmed the Trump administration seized the vessel for violating sanctions.
The geopolitical context intensified just days before, when U.S. special forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a pre-dawn raid in Caracas on Saturday. Maduro was later handed over to U.S. federal authorities to face drug trafficking charges. Top Venezuelan officials condemned his capture as a kidnapping and accused Washington of attempting to steal the country's vast oil reserves, the largest in the world.
Deals and Shadow Fleets
In a related development, President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that Caracas and Washington had reached a deal to export up to $2 billion worth of Venezuelan crude to the United States. This agreement aims to divert supplies from China. Trump has demanded that interim President Delcy Rodriguez grant U.S. and private companies "total access" to Venezuela's oil industry.
Analysts view these events as signals that Venezuela may be responding to intense U.S. pressure to open its energy sector or face further military intervention. Separately, the U.S. Coast Guard intercepted another Venezuela-linked tanker, the Panama-flagged supertanker M Sophia, in Latin American waters. That ship had departed Venezuela in early January carrying oil to China with its transponder switched off, operating in "dark mode."
Since U.S. sanctions were imposed on Venezuela in 2019, a "shadow fleet" of tankers has emerged to transport its oil, often disguising locations or using vessels already sanctioned for moving Iranian or Russian oil. Shipping experts warn this fleet remains vulnerable to punitive U.S. measures like the operation that captured the Marinera.
