Following a pursuit in the Caribbean, the US authorities have taken control of a third oil tanker with links to Venezuela.
It is also the second tanker to be impounded in less than 24 hours.
According to US representatives, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) stopped the 333-metre VLCC “Bella 1”, which was built in 2002. The ship was reportedly sailing without a valid flag and was therefore considered stateless, which allows it to be boarded on the high seas under international law. The tanker had previously refused to board, which led to a pursuit.
US authorities had a judicial seizure order. However, this was not issued because of the ship’s Venezuelan connections, but because of its role in the Iranian oil trade. The tanker had already been sanctioned by the Office of Foreign Assets Control in 2022 under the former name “Adisa”.
According to the analysis company Kpler, the “Bella 1” was on its way to Venezuela to load oil. There was no cargo on board at the time of the seizure. Kpler also points to a history of sanctions evasion, including prolonged AIS shutdowns and covert ship-to-ship transfers.
The latest seizure is part of a series of measures since Donald Trump announced a complete blockade of sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuelan waters.
The hunt for the ghost fleet is not without consequences for the global economy. Analysts warned Reuters that the geopolitical risks could cause oil prices to rise. As the USA is now also targeting ships that are not explicitly on sanctions lists (as in the case of the “Centuries”), nervousness is growing among shipping companies worldwide. According to tracking data, some tankers heading for Venezuela have already turned away.
