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The United States has seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker linked to Venezuela after tracking the vessel across the Atlantic Ocean, U.S. officials said Wednesday.
The tanker, formerly known as the Bella 1, was operating as part of a “shadow fleet” that transported oil in violation of U.S. sanctions.
Reuters quoted two official sources confirming the operation was carried out by the Coast Guard and the U.S. Military.
- The US seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker, formerly Bella 1, linked to Venezuela for violating sanctions after tracking it across the Atlantic.
- The Coast Guard boarded the tanker without crew resistance, intercepting it 190 miles south of Iceland following a two-week pursuit.
- The tanker is part of a 'shadow fleet' transporting oil from Iran, Russia, and Venezuela in violation of US sanctions.
- Russia added the vessel to its registry and requested the US halt pursuit, but the Trump administration considers it stateless.
The U.S. has seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker in violation of sanctions
Image credits: KristiNoem/X
Ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic showed the tanker made a sharp turn in the North Atlantic around the time of the seizure. Authorities said the vessel was intercepted about 190 miles south of the southern coast of Iceland.
U.S. officials added that the Coast Guard boarded the tanker without resistance from the crew. In a statement issued on X, the department said the U.S. forces “seized” the vessel for violating U.S. sanctions.
Video released by Russian state media is said to show a US coast guard vessel shadowing a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic.
The US says the tanker has been seized. Washington claims it was transporting oil from Iran and Venezuela, in violation of US sanctions. pic.twitter.com/uAhqWbMkfq
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) January 7, 2026
The Coast Guard boarded the tanker after a roughly two-week pursuit. Last month, the tanker had attempted to evade U.S. forces near Venezuela by turning around and fleeing.
The crew had then painted a Russian flag on the ship’s hull and renamed it Marinera.
Image credits: WION/YouTube
Russia later added the vessel to its official ship registry and made a formal diplomatic request that the U.S. stop pursuing it.
However, according to sources familiar with the matter, U.S. President Trump does not recognize the vessel’s Russian status and considers it stateless, CNN reported.
Russia had made a formal diplomatic request to the U.S. to stop pursuing it
In two predawn operations today, the Coast Guard conducted back-to-back meticulously coordinated boarding of two “ghost fleet” tanker ships— one in the North Atlantic Sea and one in international waters near the Caribbean. Both vessels —the Motor Tanker Bella I and the Motor… pic.twitter.com/cFuNDtYR8n
— Kristi Noem (@KristiNoem) January 7, 2026
The tanker is part of a “shadow fleet,” transporting oil for Russia, Iran, and Venezuela while violating sanctions imposed by the U.S. and other countries.
The U.S. has clamped down on them since Trump ordered a “complete blockade” on oil tankers under sanctions going to and from Venezuela.
Image credits: MarineTraffic/X
The New York Times reported that along with Bella 1, a second tanker named the Hyperion operating in Venezuela, and at least three additional oil tankers operating in Venezuelan waters, have switched to Russian flags in recent days.
Separately on Wednesday, U.S. Southern Command announced the seizure of another vessel in the Caribbean that it described as stateless and involved in illicit activity.
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