Reuters: US launches operation to seize another oil tanker

The United States has launched an operation to detain the Olina tanker in the Caribbean. This was reported by the agency Reuters citing an unnamed American official with knowledge of the matter.

According to him, the United States is conducting an operation to seize the tanker Olina in the Caribbean Sea near the island of Trinidad.

The media reports that this is the fifth such ship interception operation in recent weeks as part of Washington's efforts to control Venezuelan oil exports.

A shipping source familiar with the matter said that the tanker Olina, which, according to the public shipping database Equasis, was flying the false flag of East Timor, had previously sailed from Venezuela and returned to the region.

"The vessel's position tracking system (AIS) was last active 52 days ago in the exclusive economic zone of Venezuela, northeast of Curacao," said Vanguard, a British marine risk management company.

In January last year, the US imposed sanctions on the tanker, then called Minerva M, because, according to Washington, it was part of the so-called "shadow fleet" of vessels that sail virtually unregulated and uninsured.

The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed U.S. officials saidthe US Coast Guard has already boarded the tanker. The vessel was also involved in the transportation of Russian oil.

The move is likely to exacerbate tensions between Washington and Moscow a few days after the US seized a ship claiming to be protecting Russia and accompanied by Russian Navy vessels, journalists said.

• December 7, 2025 USA introduced a complete blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela's ports.
• January 7, 2026, the US Army seized a tanker Bella 1 flying the Russian flag. Nearby were Kremlin military vessels, including a submarine.