The United States has executed a significant maritime enforcement operation, seizing an oil tanker flying the Russian flag in the North Atlantic Ocean. In a coordinated move, a second vessel was also captured in the Caribbean Sea.
Details of the Atlantic Seizure
On Wednesday, 7 January 2026, the US European Command confirmed the seizure of the oil tanker Marinera in international waters. The vessel, previously known as Bella 1, was intercepted approximately 200 kilometres south of Iceland's coast. The action was carried out pursuant to a warrant from a US federal court for violations of American sanctions.
The Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security coordinated the operation. The US Coast Guard cutter Munro tracked and boarded the tanker. US officials stated the seizure was based on the vessel's involvement in sanctioned oil trade connected to Venezuela and Iran, not merely its Russian flag.
The 'Dark Fleet' and Evasion Tactics
Washington identifies the Marinera as part of a so-called 'dark' or 'ghost' fleet. These are vessels accused of using deceptive practices to circumvent international sanctions. The tanker's history reveals a pattern of evasion.
It was once falsely registered under the Guyanese flag. In a rare mid-voyage manoeuvre in December 2025, it was renamed and reflagged to Russia while at sea. Maritime analysts note such tactics are typically used by sanctioned tankers to complicate law enforcement efforts.
US authorities pinpoint the ownership as central to the case. The tanker is owned by Louis Marine Shipholding Enterprises SA, a Turkey-based company sanctioned by the US Treasury in 2024. The US accuses the firm of having links to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Quds Force, which Washington says supports armed groups in the Middle East.
Caribbean Operation and Broader Implications
In a parallel action, the US military seized a second tanker, the M/T Sophia, in the Caribbean Sea. US Southern Command labelled it a "stateless, sanctioned dark fleet motor tanker" involved in illicit activity. The Coast Guard is escorting that ship to the United States for final disposition.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth declared that the seizures demonstrate the 'blockade of sanctioned and illicit Venezuelan oil remains in full effect anywhere in the world'. He stated the actions were taken under a presidential proclamation targeting vessels that threaten Western Hemisphere security.
The operation coincided with heightened US military reconnaissance activity between the British Isles and Iceland. Russian state media released images of a helicopter near the seized ship, with Moscow stating it is monitoring the situation. Under international law, flag states usually have jurisdiction, but the US asserts its right to act against ships in prohibited trade based on ownership and cargo history.
