U.S. forces seized a fifth sanctioned oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea. This underscores the Trump administration’s effort to tighten control over Venezuelan oil shipments.
As per the reports from AP News, the tanker, the Olina, was intercepted as part of a broader strategy aimed at restricting Venezuela’s oil production, refining, and global distribution. The administration has treated enforcement as a central pillar of its policy, and the operation reflected that priority.
The pre-dawn seizure involved Marines and Navy sailors operating from a U.S. aircraft carrier deployed in the region. After the vessel was secured, the Coast Guard assumed control as officials reiterated that sanctioned oil shipments would not be allowed to move freely.
The operation left little doubt about the administration’s intentions
U.S. Southern Command oversaw the operation and said there is “no safe haven for criminals” when announcing the seizure. Unclassified footage released Friday showed a U.S. helicopter landing on the tanker, with personnel searching the deck and breaching an interior door.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem described the Olina as part of a “ghost fleet” suspected of transporting embargoed oil while attempting to evade U.S. forces. The interception follows earlier efforts to stop similar shipments, including a recent attempt to intercept a vessel with Venezuelan links as it fled across the Atlantic.
Tracking data indicates that Olina last transmitted its location in November while north of the Venezuelan coast and had since been operating with its beacon turned off. Shipping records show the vessel was previously sanctioned under the name Minerva M for transporting Russian oil and was listed as falsely flagged, despite claims it was registered in Timor-Leste.
Experts estimate the tanker was carrying roughly 707,000 barrels of oil, worth more than $42 million at current prices. Administration officials have framed seizures like this as both enforcement actions and financial leverage, a position that has already contributed to rising U.S.-Russia tensions following earlier tanker seizures.
President Donald Trump said the seizure was conducted in coordination with Venezuela’s interim authorities and is part of a larger reconstruction plan. The administration expects to sell tens of millions of barrels of sanctioned Venezuelan oil, with proceeds intended to benefit both the U.S. and the Venezuelan people.
The president also met with executives from 17 oil companies to discuss investing $100 billion to restore Venezuela’s oil infrastructure, a plan officials say is intended to be long-term. Vice President JD Vance said the strategy allows the U.S. to control where Venezuelan oil can be sold, reinforcing the warning that sanctioned shipments will not make it out of the Caribbean.
Published: Jan 11, 2026 06:30 am