All articles tagged with #oil tanker
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said a Russian government‑owned tanker carrying about 730,000 barrels of crude was allowed to reach Cuba for humanitarian reasons, on a case‑by‑case basis and without a formal change in sanctions policy, as Cuba’s energy grid remains strained under the blockade and U.S. policy is being tested against broader geopolitical pressures.
Russia confirms fuel shipments to Cuba as a Russian-flagged tanker nears the Caribbean, signaling Moscow’s willingness to pressure Havana amid an intensified oil embargo; analysts say the move is geopolitical signaling rather than purely humanitarian aid, and could supply roughly 730,000 barrels to Cuba for weeks, but would not solve the island’s longer-term crisis. The United States faces a difficult choice between enforcing the blockade—potentially escalating tensions with Russia—or allowing the shipment to proceed, a dilemma made harder by international law around seizures at sea.
The U.S. Justice Department filed a civil forfeiture complaint in DC seeking the seizure of the motor tanker Skipper and about 1.8 million barrels of crude oil alleged to benefit Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (incl. IRGC-QF) via shipments tied to Venezuela’s PdVSA. The government says the Skipper used spoofed routes, false flags, and ship-to-ship transfers to evade sanctions, with oil deliveries to destinations including Syria and Cubametales; seizure occurred in December 2025. The case states the oil proceeds support terrorism and WMD proliferation, but notes a civil forfeiture is an allegation pending burden of proof in court, with FBI, HSI and interagency partners leading the investigation.
The US says it intercepted the sanctioned oil tanker Bertha in the Indian Ocean for defying a Venezuelan oil blockade, with the vessel last transmitting location data far south of Sri Lanka; this marks the latest seizure in Washington’s push to block Venezuelan oil, occurring amid a broader US naval buildup in the Middle East and Mediterranean.
France released the tanker Grinch, accused of belonging to Russia’s sanctions-busting ‘shadow fleet’ that helps Russia export oil under sanctions, after its owner paid several million euros and the vessel endured about three weeks immobilised in Fos-sur-Mer; the move comes as Ukraine peace talks in Geneva resume and EU sanctions plans move forward.
The Pentagon says U.S. forces have boarded another oil tanker in the Indian Ocean, continuing ongoing maritime security operations.
The Pentagon confirms U.S. forces boarded a sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean after a pursuit that began in the Caribbean, as part of ongoing sanctions enforcement.
The US military’s Southern Command released footage of boarding a tanker named Veronica, the sixth vessel seized since December for defying US sanctions on Venezuelan oil. Maritime analysts say the seizures are already reducing sanctioned crude flows to China, and BBC Verify has matched the tanker in the footage to publicly available images as part of its ongoing verification coverage.
U.S. forces boarded and seized the crude oil tanker Veronica, sailing under a Guyanese flag, as part of enforcement of sanctions on Venezuela. The operation, conducted with the Coast Guard, DHS and DOJ, was supported by the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and marks the latest interdiction in a broader crackdown known as Operation Southern Spear.
A Russian-bound oil tanker, Elbus, was hit by a drone in the Black Sea, prompting it to seek assistance from Turkish coastguards and divert to Turkey, with no injuries or pollution reported. The incident follows recent attacks on ships in the region, raising concerns over maritime security and geopolitical tensions.
The US is reportedly planning to seize a Russian-flagged oil tanker, Marinera, believed to be carrying Venezuelan crude, as it approaches Europe, amid tensions over sanctions and international law. The ship's change of flag and name complicates enforcement, and Russia has expressed concern over the increased military attention, while the US considers intervention options.
The US is monitoring an oil tanker near the UK coast that is linked to Venezuela, Russia, and Iran, highlighting ongoing geopolitical tensions and concerns over maritime activities involving these countries.
The article reports a surge in U.S. military aircraft in Europe, possibly supporting a future operation to intercept the Russian-flagged oil tanker Marinera involved in sanctions evasion, with the involvement of elite special operations units like the 160th SOAR, amid broader geopolitical tensions and potential upcoming missions in the Middle East.
An aging oil tanker, pursued by the US for nearly two weeks, has painted a crude Russian flag on its hull, possibly to claim Russian protection and complicate legal actions. The vessel, under US sanctions for allegedly shipping Iranian oil, has been resisting seizure since December 21 and is now flying an unrecognized flag, with US officials considering whether to continue efforts to seize it amid ongoing tensions over Venezuelan oil sanctions.
The US Coast Guard is currently unable to seize the Venezuela-linked oil tanker Bella 1 due to resource limitations and the need for specialized teams, despite ongoing efforts and orders from the Trump administration to block sanctioned vessels near Venezuela.