Shadow fleet targeted: US intercepts fifth oil tanker linked to Venezuela
Ship-tracking databases indicate that the Olina last transmitted its location in November, north of Venezuela’s coast in the Caribbean. Since then, the tanker has operated “dark,” with its location beacon switched off — a tactic frequently linked to illicit maritime activity.
- Jan 9, 2026,
- Updated Jan 9, 2026 9:38 PM IST
US forces have interdicted a fifth oil tanker linked to Venezuela, escalating Washington’s maritime enforcement campaign aimed at disrupting what it describes as illicit oil exports from sanctioned states.
US Southern Command confirmed on January 9 that the oil tanker Olina was seized in the Caribbean during a pre-dawn operation led by the US Coast Guard, with support from the US Navy and Marine Corps. Two US officials told CBS News that the vessel was in the process of being formally seized at the time of the announcement.
Marines and sailors launched from the USS Gerald R Ford aircraft carrier to support the Department of Homeland Security, Southern Command said, framing the action as part of its mission to “defend the homeland by ending illicit activity and restoring security in the Western Hemisphere.”
Unclassified footage released by the command showed a US military helicopter landing on the tanker’s deck, followed by personnel conducting a search of the vessel.
“Once again, our joint interagency forces sent a clear message this morning: there is no safe haven for criminals,” Southern Command said in a statement posted on X (formally twitter).
Sanctioned vessel, False flag allegations
According to US government records cited by the Associated Press, the Olina was previously sanctioned under the name Minerva M for transporting Russian oil while flagged in Panama. The ship is now listed as flying the flag of Timor-Leste, though international shipping registries have flagged the claim as invalid, describing it as a false flag registration.
Records also show that the vessel’s registered owner and manager were changed in July to a company based in Hong Kong, a practice often associated with opaque ownership structures used by sanction-evading fleets.
Ship-tracking databases indicate that the Olina last transmitted its location in November, north of Venezuela’s coast in the Caribbean. Since then, the tanker has operated “dark,” with its location beacon switched off — a tactic frequently linked to illicit maritime activity.
The vessel is capable of carrying up to 890,000 barrels of oil, cargo valued at approximately $53 million at current global prices of around $60 per barrel.
Part of a broader US enforcement drive
The seizure marks the fifth tanker interdicted by US forces as part of a broader push under President Donald Trump’s administration to restrict the global movement of Venezuela’s oil exports. Two other tankers were intercepted earlier this week — one in the North Atlantic and another in the Caribbean Sea, US officials said.
US European Command confirmed the seizure of the Marinera, a Venezuela-linked tanker formerly known as Bella-1, after it was pursued from the coast of South America. Meanwhile, Southern Command announced that another vessel, M/T Sophia, was intercepted in Caribbean waters while allegedly conducting illicit activities.
US officials say such ships form part of a so-called “shadow fleet” — a network of aging tankers that operate with falsified documents, switched-off transponders and shifting ownership to move oil from sanctioned producers such as Venezuela, Russia and Iran.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has rejected US accusations that the vessels are being used for illicit trade. His government has accused Washington of plundering Venezuelan resources under the guise of law enforcement and violating international maritime norms.
US forces have interdicted a fifth oil tanker linked to Venezuela, escalating Washington’s maritime enforcement campaign aimed at disrupting what it describes as illicit oil exports from sanctioned states.
US Southern Command confirmed on January 9 that the oil tanker Olina was seized in the Caribbean during a pre-dawn operation led by the US Coast Guard, with support from the US Navy and Marine Corps. Two US officials told CBS News that the vessel was in the process of being formally seized at the time of the announcement.
Marines and sailors launched from the USS Gerald R Ford aircraft carrier to support the Department of Homeland Security, Southern Command said, framing the action as part of its mission to “defend the homeland by ending illicit activity and restoring security in the Western Hemisphere.”
Unclassified footage released by the command showed a US military helicopter landing on the tanker’s deck, followed by personnel conducting a search of the vessel.
“Once again, our joint interagency forces sent a clear message this morning: there is no safe haven for criminals,” Southern Command said in a statement posted on X (formally twitter).
Sanctioned vessel, False flag allegations
According to US government records cited by the Associated Press, the Olina was previously sanctioned under the name Minerva M for transporting Russian oil while flagged in Panama. The ship is now listed as flying the flag of Timor-Leste, though international shipping registries have flagged the claim as invalid, describing it as a false flag registration.
Records also show that the vessel’s registered owner and manager were changed in July to a company based in Hong Kong, a practice often associated with opaque ownership structures used by sanction-evading fleets.
Ship-tracking databases indicate that the Olina last transmitted its location in November, north of Venezuela’s coast in the Caribbean. Since then, the tanker has operated “dark,” with its location beacon switched off — a tactic frequently linked to illicit maritime activity.
The vessel is capable of carrying up to 890,000 barrels of oil, cargo valued at approximately $53 million at current global prices of around $60 per barrel.
Part of a broader US enforcement drive
The seizure marks the fifth tanker interdicted by US forces as part of a broader push under President Donald Trump’s administration to restrict the global movement of Venezuela’s oil exports. Two other tankers were intercepted earlier this week — one in the North Atlantic and another in the Caribbean Sea, US officials said.
US European Command confirmed the seizure of the Marinera, a Venezuela-linked tanker formerly known as Bella-1, after it was pursued from the coast of South America. Meanwhile, Southern Command announced that another vessel, M/T Sophia, was intercepted in Caribbean waters while allegedly conducting illicit activities.
US officials say such ships form part of a so-called “shadow fleet” — a network of aging tankers that operate with falsified documents, switched-off transponders and shifting ownership to move oil from sanctioned producers such as Venezuela, Russia and Iran.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has rejected US accusations that the vessels are being used for illicit trade. His government has accused Washington of plundering Venezuelan resources under the guise of law enforcement and violating international maritime norms.