The US Coast Guard pursued the Bella 1 oil tanker in Caribbean waters Sunday after the vessel refused to stop for boarding, making this the third ship the administration targeted in its escalating blockade of Venezuelan oil exports. As of the latest update, the vessel had not been boarded, and the pursuit’s status remains unclear.
Coast Guard personnel attempted to intercept the vessel as it approached Venezuela to load crude oil, but the ship continued sailing, an action that prompted the pursuit, according to a US official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the operation. The vessel was not flying a valid national flag at the time, making it a stateless ship under international law.
US authorities placed the vessel under sanctions in 2024, citing its role in operations benefiting Hezbollah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force. Shipping analysts tracked the tanker moving over 20 million barrels of sanctioned crude from Iran and Venezuela to Chinese ports across four years.
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“The United States Coast Guard is in active pursuit of a sanctioned dark fleet vessel that is part of Venezuela’s illegal sanctions evasion,” a second US official said Sunday. “It is flying a false flag and under a judicial seizure order.”
Authorities attempted the interdiction while the vessel traveled empty toward Venezuela, where it planned to load crude oil.
The operation follows Saturday’s interception of the Centuries supertanker and the December 10 seizure of the Skipper, both carrying approximately 1.8 million to 1.9 million barrels of Venezuelan crude.
President Donald Trump ordered a “complete” blockade of sanctioned tankers traveling to or from Venezuela last week, demanding the South American nation return assets it nationalized from US oil companies in the 1970s. The administration designated the Maduro government as a foreign terrorist organization, citing alleged involvement in drug trafficking.
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Venezuelan Vice President and Oil Minister Delcy Rodriguez condemned the interdictions Saturday, calling them “a serious act of piracy” by the US government.
Analysts warn the blockade could force Venezuela to shut down oil production as storage facilities fill. The country targets 1.2 million barrels per day production, but faces mounting pressure as tanker operators avoid Venezuelan routes.
Related: Russia-Linked Oil Firm Shuts Down Venezuela Operations
Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves, but produces well below capacity due to international sanctions. Most of its oil exports go to China.
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