Article  U.S. Special Forces to seize Venezuelan tanker near Europe (aircraft brewing)

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/u-s-spec...ar-europe/

INTRO: U.S. military aircraft movements through the United Kingdom this week are consistent with preparations for a maritime interdiction operation targeting a Venezuelan-linked oil tanker, according to open-source analysis, as Washington moves to tighten enforcement following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

According to reports from CBS, U.S. forces are planning to seize the tanker Marinera, formerly known as Bella 1, rather than sink it. The vessel has been linked to Venezuelan crude exports and is sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury. Two U.S. officials told CBS the operation could mirror a boarding conducted last month, when U.S. Marines and special operations forces, working with the U.S. Coast Guard, seized another tanker after it departed a Venezuelan port.

Open-source flight tracking shows a concentration of U.S. military aircraft operating from RAF Fairford and RAF Mildenhall over recent days. According to analysis by UK Defence Journal’s senior editor Jon, the pattern includes multiple C-17 strategic airlift arrivals, continued patrols by P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft, and repeated low-altitude hover and approach activity by special operations-capable tiltrotor aircraft between the two bases... (MORE - details)

BBC News Wrote:6 January 2026
Russia has deployed navy assets to escort an oil tanker also being pursued by US forces across the Atlantic, CBS News, BBC's media partner in the US, reported.
The ship, which currently isn't carrying anything, historically has transported Venezuelan crude oil and was thought to be between Scotland and Iceland on Tuesday.
President Donald Trump said last month that he was ordering a "blockade" of sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela, a move the government there described as "theft".
...
The US Coast Guard tried to board the Bella 1 last month in the Caribbean when it was believed to be heading towards Venezuela. It had a warrant to seize the ship, which was accused of breaking US sanctions and shipping Iranian oil.
It then dramatically changed course - as well as its name to Marinera - reportedly reflagging from a Guyanese to a Russian vessel.
.....
Under international law, vessels flying a country's flag are under the protection of that nation but Dimitris Ampatzidis, senior risk and compliance analyst at maritime intelligence firm Kpler, told BBC Verify changing the ship's name and flag might not change much.
"US action is driven by the vessel's underlying identity [IMO number], ownership/control networks, and sanctions history, not by its painted markings or flag claim," he said.
...
[Russia..]
"At present, our vessel is sailing in the international waters of the North Atlantic under the state flag of the Russian Federation and in full compliance with the norms of international maritime law," Russia's foreign ministry said.
"For reasons unclear to us, the Russian ship is being given increased and clearly disproportionate attention by the US and Nato military, despite its peaceful status," it said.
"We expect that Western countries, which declare their commitment to freedom of navigation on the high seas, will begin adhering to this principle themselves."

More.. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c7v0deypjl4o
Updated 12.15 GMT 7th Jan 2025

Quote:Russia has reportedly deployed a submarine and other vessels to escort an oil tanker - which is also being pursued by US forces - across the Atlantic.

US says it has seized tanker in Atlantic linked to Venezuelan oil
published at 13:55
13:55
Breaking
The US European Command says the US Department of Justice and Homeland Security have "today announced the seizure of the M/V Bella 1 for violations of US sanctions".

BBC

US military says it seized second Venezuela-linked oil tanker in Caribbean
published at 14:35
14:35
Breaking
The US has seized a second oil tanker, this time in the Caribbean sea, according to the US Southern Command.

The vessel, a "stateless, sanctioned dark fleet motor tanker", was apprehended in a pre-dawn operation, the military adds.

Fail to see how a puny empty tanker means so much. By the looks of the photo in a previous post then it might be deemed unseaworthy and a navigational risk to other vessels. This is like the USS Gerald Ford chasing down a Newfoundland trawler that’s not having any fishing luck. Maybe it’s a training exercise for Greenland or Canada invasion.

US has Maduro so just hold him for ransom. Have Venezuela fill that boat with drug money, help pay off the national debt, seize Maduro’s assets and drop him off at Los Monjes so the Colombians can leverage him to claim the disputed island’s ownership. That’s as long as Venezuelans want him back.

(Jan 7, 2026 04:14 PM)Zinjanthropos Wrote: Fail to see how a puny empty tanker means so much.  By the looks of the photo in a previous post then it might be deemed unseaworthy and a navigational risk to other vessels. This is like the USS Gerald Ford chasing down a Newfoundland trawler that’s not having any fishing luck. Maybe it’s a training exercise for Greenland or Canada invasion.

US has Maduro so just hold him for ransom. Have Venezuela fill that boat with drug money, help pay off the national debt, seize Maduro’s assets and drop him off at Los Monjes so the Colombians can leverage him to claim the disputed island’s ownership. That’s as long as Venezuelans want him back.

I think it's the principle.

The tanker uses:

• Being evasive
  
• Changing the name mid-journey.
  
• Changing the flag mid-journey.
  
• Undermining it's insurance (which is needed or it can be seized just for that.)
  
• Turning off it's navigation transponder (puts it at risk of being hit by other vessels etc)
  

If the US hadn't of continued to get it, its something we probably should of done if it had been near our shores (which is the main reason Russia was navigating so far away from the UK)

(Jan 7, 2026 04:14 PM)Zinjanthropos Wrote: US has Maduro so just hold him for ransom. Have Venezuela fill that boat with drug money, help pay off the national debt, seize Maduro’s assets and drop him off at Los Monjes so the Colombians can leverage him to claim the disputed island’s ownership. That’s as long as Venezuelans want him back.

Venezuela doesn't want him. They are celebrating his capture.

US seizes fifth tanker as military stalks the ocean for Venezuelan oil
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world...97571.html

EXCERPTS: The U.S. has seized another oil tanker in the Caribbean, marking the fifth vessel targeted in recent weeks as Washington steps up efforts to curb Venezuelan oil exports.

U.S. forces stormed the Olina tanker near Trinidad, which was falsely flying the flag of Timor Leste, according to public shipping database Equasis.

In a pre-dawn move, marines and sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear, launched from the carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, apprehended the Olina in the Caribbean Sea "without incident," the U.S. Southern Command said on X.

"Once again, our joint interagency forces sent a clear message this morning: 'there is no safe haven for criminals,'" it said.

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

[...] The U.S. blockade of sanctioned Venezuelan oil remains in full effect "anywhere in the world," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday.

Also Wednesday, Trump administration officials announced that the U.S. plans to indefinitely control Venezuelan oil sales as a means to stabilize the country’s economy and rebuild its neglected oil sector.

Officials say the U.S. will maintain the country’s massive reserves to ensure proceeds from sales are used “for the benefit of the American people and the Venezuelan people.”