US seizes Russian-flagged oil tanker in North Atlantic over sanctions violations
The United States has seized an oil tanker flying the Russian flag in the North Atlantic and a second vessel in the Caribbean, marking a bold escalation in Washington's global sanctions enforcement. US authorities identified the Atlantic vessel as the Marinera (formerly Bella 1), seized under a federal warrant for violations of American sanctions linked to Venezuelan and Iranian oil trade. The operation was confirmed Wednesday by US European Command, with the Coast Guard cutter Munro tracking and boarding the tanker in international waters about 200 kilometres south of Iceland.
The Marinera is owned by Louis Marine Shipholding Enterprises SA, a Turkey-based company sanctioned by the US Treasury in 2024 over ties to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Quds Force. Maritime analysts say the ship exemplifies a "dark fleet" tactic—manipulating tracking systems, disguising ownership, and reflagging mid-voyage. The vessel switched from Guyanese to Russian registration in December 2025 while at sea, a rare move that complicates enforcement.
In a parallel Caribbean operation, US Southern Command seized the stateless tanker M/T Sophia, described as part of the same illicit network. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated the seizures prove the blockade of sanctioned Venezuelan oil "remains in full effect anywhere in the world," acting under a presidential proclamation targeting threats to Western Hemisphere security.
While international maritime law typically grants jurisdiction to flag states, US officials argue sanctions law allows action against vessels involved in prohibited trade. Russian state media released images of a helicopter near the ship as Moscow monitors the situation. This operation coincides with heightened US military reconnaissance flights between the British Isles and Iceland.
The seizures signal that Washington will pursue sanctioned oil trade across international waters, regardless of flag state. For maritime operators, the message is clear: vessels linked to Iranian or Venezuelan sanctioned networks face direct US enforcement action, even under Russian flag protection.