US seizes third oil tanker in forty-eight hours

On 9 January, the US Coast Guard (USCG) boarded the sanctioned oil tanker Olina in the Carribean Sea as part of Washington’s ongoing effort to tighten control over Venezuela’s oil trade.

The operation is the fifth such tanker interdiction by US authorities in recent weeks, following previous seizures including the vessel Marinera (formerly Bella 1), which was under a Russian flag at the time of its capture.  As reported, the tanker seized on 9 January, Olina, previously known as Minerva M is part of a “shadow fleet” sanctioned by the US, European Union, the U.K. and other countries for transporting Russian oil in violation of earlier restrictions.

According to Reuters, the tanker, falsely flying the flag of Timor‑Leste, had last sailed from Venezuela and returned to the region before being intercepted in the Caribbean Sea near Trinidad. The Olina left Venezuela last week fully loaded with oil, as part of a flottila that left shortly after the US captured Nicolas Maduro on 3 January, Reuters reported citing an industry source. 

Early this morning, the USCG executed a boarding and seizure of the Motor Tanker Olina in international waters east of the Caribbean Sea. As another “ghost fleet” tanker ship suspected of carrying embargoed oil, this vessel had departed Venezuela attempting to evade U.S. forces. 

…said Kristi Noem, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The move comes amid rising tensions between Washington and Moscow, as Russia described the recent seizure of the Marinera as a violation of international maritime law and has called on the US to cease illegal actions.  

source : safety4sea