US plans to intercept sanctioned oil tanker evading authorities: Reports
The United States is preparing to intercept a sanctioned oil tanker tied to Venezuelan crude as it attempts to escape U.S. control at sea, according to new reports. The move signals a sharper phase in Washington’s pressure campaign following the capture of Nicolás Maduro.
U.S. officials told CBS News and CNN that the tanker, now called the Marinera and previously known as the Bella 1, has been evading American forces for weeks and could be seized as early as this week.
A familiar ship, a growing pursuit
The Marinera has been under U.S. scrutiny since mid-December, when it prepared to load Venezuelan crude and then abruptly fled into the Atlantic. While at sea, the vessel changed its name and re-flagged under Russia, a move U.S. officials view as an attempt to complicate enforcement.
American forces have tracked the tanker ever since. According to CBS, which was first to report the news, U.S. planners would prefer to seize the ship rather than sink it, using tactics similar to a boarding operation carried out last month against another sanctioned tanker leaving Venezuela.
As Straight Arrow News has reported, that earlier seizure was conducted by U.S. Marines and special operations forces working alongside the Coast Guard.
Shadow fleet tactics
U.S. officials describe the Marinera as part of a shadow fleet used to move oil from sanctioned countries while disguising its origin and destination. Treasury officials previously sanctioned the ship in 2024 for its role in Iranian oil trading.
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The Bella 1 is part of a “shadow fleet,” previously linked to Iran.
CBS reported that Venezuelan officials discussed placing armed personnel aboard oil tankers, disguised as civilians, along with portable air defense systems. Those discussions occurred before Maduro and his wife were captured by U.S. forces over the weekend.
Maduro has denied U.S. accusations and claims Washington is using law enforcement as cover to seize Venezuelan resources.
Eyes in the sky near Europe
As the Marinera moved northeast, U.S. surveillance operations followed.
The Irish Times reported that American maritime patrol aircraft have been flying unusual monitoring patterns west of Ireland as the tanker sails toward Russia. Satellite data cited by the outlet shows the ship skirting the edge of Ireland’s exclusive economic zone while continuing east.
The vessel recently painted a crude Russian flag on its hull and is now listed as being registered out of Sochi. Moscow has asked the U.S. to halt any attempt to seize the ship, raising the stakes as Washington and Russia remain engaged in sensitive talks over Ukraine.
Irish authorities are aware of the tanker’s movement but have not deployed naval or air assets.
Part of a broader clampdown
Trump imposed what he called a “total and complete blockade” on Venezuelan oil tankers in mid-December. Since then, at least 16 vessels have attempted to evade U.S. forces by disabling tracking systems or masking their locations, according to The New York Times.
If seized, the Marinera would be the third tanker taken by U.S. forces since the crackdown began in early September 2025.
The pursuit follows an earlier U.S. operation that Straight Arrow News reported on in December 2025, when officials said the tanker ignored orders to stop, reversed course at sea, and fled Venezuelan waters.
For now, U.S. officials say the ship remains slow, visible and boxed in. The question is no longer whether Washington can reach it, but when it decides to move.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
