US Seizes Sanctioned Oil Tanker 'Olina' In Caribbean, Fifth Vessel Apprehended In Venezuela Blockade

Last Updated:January 09, 2026, 20:46 IST

The Olina had previously sailed from Venezuela and had returned to the region, and was fully loaded with oil, as US troops captured Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro.

The Olina was sanctioned by the US last year being part of the so-called shadow fleet of ships that sail with little regulation or known insurance. (Photo: X)

The US Coast Guard on Friday seized another sanctioned stateless oil tanker ‘Olina’ in the Caribbean Sea for attempting to break the Venezuelan blockade, marking the fifth seizure of a ship in recent weeks following the US takeover of Venezuelan oil exports.

The Olina, which, according to public shipping database Equasis, was falsely flying the flag of Timor Leste, had previously sailed from Venezuela and had returned to the region, an industry source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

“In a pre-dawn action, Marines and Sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear, in support of the Department of Homeland Security, launched from the USS Gerald R Ford and apprehended Motor/Tanker Olina in the Caribbean Sea without incident," said the US Southern Command on X.

“Apprehensions like this are backed by the full power of the US Navy’s Amphibious Ready Group, including the ready and lethal platforms of the USS Iwo Jima, USS San Antonio, and USS Fort Lauderdale," it added.

US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Olina was “another ‘ghost fleet’ tanker ship suspected of carrying embargoed oil" that “departed Venezuela attempting to evade US forces."

What Was The Vessel Doing?

The Olina left Venezuela last week fully loaded with oil as part of a flotilla shortly after the US seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on January 3, and the vessel was returning fully loaded to Venezuela following the US blockade of Venezuelan oil exports, the industry source told Reuters.

“The vessel’s AIS (location) tracker was last active 52 days ago in the Venezuelan EEZ, northeast of Curacao," British maritime risk management company Vanguard said separately. “The seizure follows a prolonged pursuit of tankers linked to sanctioned Venezuelan oil shipments in the region."

Washington imposed sanctions on the tanker in January last year, when it was named the Minerva M, for what Washington said was it being part of the so-called shadow fleet of ships that sail with little regulation or known insurance.

Fifth Vessel Seized By US

This marks the fifth such seizure of ships in recent weeks as the US took control of Venezuelan oil exports. American forces seized four after Maduro’s capture. On Wednesday, the US seized a Russia-linked oil tanker in the North Atlantic after pursuing it from off the coast of Venezuela, a move that was condemned by Moscow.

Washington says the Marinera tanker is part of a shadow fleet that carries oil for countries such as Venezuela, Russia and Iran in violation of US sanctions, and seized it despite the ship being escorted by the Russian navy.

Russia accused the United States of stoking tensions and threatening international shipping with its seizure, adding that it was worried by “Washington’s willingness to generate acute international crisis situations." On Friday, Moscow informed that the US had decided to release two Russian members of the crew in response to its request.

(with inputs from agencies)

News world US Seizes Sanctioned Oil Tanker 'Olina' In Caribbean, Fifth Vessel Apprehended In Venezuela Blockade

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