The U.S. government has taken control of an oil tanker near Venezuela in international waters, as confirmed by U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Saturday. This action follows President Donald Trump’s recent declaration of a “blockade” on all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela.
This marks the second instance in a short period that the U.S. has seized a tanker near Venezuela, coinciding with a significant increase in U.S. military presence in the region. Noem stated that the U.S. Coast Guard intercepted a tanker that had been previously docked in Venezuela.
“The United States remains committed to halting the illegal movement of sanctioned oil that supports narco-terrorism in the area,” Noem emphasized in a social media post. She warned, “We will track you down, and we will put a stop to your activities.”
The U.S. Coast Guard and Pentagon redirected inquiries to the White House, which has not yet responded to requests for comments. Venezuela’s oil ministry and state oil company PDVSA have also not provided immediate responses to requests for statements.
According to British maritime risk management company Vanguard, the intercepted vessel is believed to be the Panama-flagged Centuries, seized east of Barbados in the Caribbean Sea. Jeremy Paner, a partner at Washington, D.C. law firm Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP and a former U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control investigator, noted that the vessel had not been sanctioned by the U.S.
“The seizure of a non-sanctioned vessel by the U.S. indicates a further escalation of pressure on Venezuela by Trump,” Paner remarked. He added, “This action contradicts Trump’s previous assertion of a blockade on all sanctioned oil tankers.”
Trump had called for a “complete blockade” on all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela earlier in the week. Subsequent to recent seizures by U.S. forces, an effective embargo has been enforced, leading loaded vessels with millions of barrels of oil to remain in Venezuelan waters to avoid confiscation.
Since the initial seizure, Venezuelan crude exports have significantly declined. The ongoing situation has impacted the oil market, with millions of barrels awaiting offloading near China. If the embargo persists, the loss of almost one million barrels per day could drive oil prices upward.
Following U.S. energy sanctions on Venezuela in 2019, traders and refiners dealing with Venezuelan oil have resorted to utilizing a “shadow fleet” of tankers that conceal their locations. The dark fleet, including vessels transporting Iranian or Russian oil, faces potential punitive measures from the U.S.
Amid escalating tensions, Trump’s pressure tactics on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro have intensified, including increased military presence and military strikes near Venezuela. Maduro has accused the U.S. of aiming to overthrow his regime and control Venezuela’s vast oil reserves.
The situation remains fluid as U.S.-Venezuela relations continue to strain over oil-related issues.
