On Wednesday, the United States announced the seizure of two oil tankers to obstruct sanctioned Venezuelan petroleum exports, one of which was a recently registered vessel flying the Russian flag. U.S. European Command stated on platform X that the tanker, which U.S. authorities referred to by its former name "Bella 1," was seized in the North Atlantic for violating U.S. sanctions on Venezuelan oil. The vessel, now named "Marinera," is one of the ships Russia has incorporated into its "shadow fleet" by changing its flag. This incident is no longer just a case of sanctions violation but a real-time jurisdictional dispute, centering on the legal basis for U.S. law enforcement actions on the high seas. While the vessel's fundamental information and history remain unchanged, the alteration of its flag status could significantly escalate diplomatic risks. AIS tracking data from Kpler clearly shows the vessel's route and its course changes en route. Kpler's AIS, which collects real-time positioning data transmitted by vessels, indicated that the tanker recently made a significant turn near Scotland in the Atlantic Ocean. For over two weeks prior to its seizure, while fraudulently registered under the flag of Guyana and still named "Bella 1," the vessel was intercepted by U.S. forces en route to Venezuela to load sanctioned crude oil, and an attempt was made to board it. According to Lloyd's List's shipping register, Russia notified the U.S. on December 31st that the vessel had been renamed "Marinera" and its flag changed to Russia, after which it departed the Caribbean Sea. Separate vessel tracking data from Lloyd's List shows that another recently re-flagged Russian tanker, the "Premier," changed its flag from Gambia to Russia on December 22nd. This vessel is also involved in Venezuelan oil transport and is currently anchored in ballast off Venezuela's Jose terminal. In a separate announcement on platform X on Wednesday, U.S. Southern Command stated that a Panama-flagged tanker, the "Sofia," had been seized and was being escorted to the United States by the U.S. Coast Guard. Emmanouela Balostrini, Senior Crude Market Data Manager at Kpler, revealed that satellite imagery and port reports confirmed the "Sofia" loaded approximately 2 million barrels of crude oil at Venezuela's Jose terminal between December 26th and 29th. Balostrini added that the tanker's previous voyage also originated from Venezuela. In early August 2025, it loaded a similar volume of 2 million barrels in the country before sailing to waters off Malaysia. This sanctioned cargo was likely transferred to another vessel via an unreported ship-to-ship transfer, although Kpler has not yet identified the specific receiving vessel. Notably, the seizure of the "Sofia" follows closely after the detention of the Panama-flagged vessel "Century" on December 27th. Maritime experts suggest the U.S. seizure action was likely conducted under the 2002 Salas-Becker Agreement, which allows U.S. authorities to board Panama-flagged vessels with just two hours' notice.
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