US Captures Fifth Ship Amid Venezuela Blockade Tensions
In a significant move to curb Venezuelan oil exports, the U.S. has seized the Olina tanker in the Caribbean. This marks the fifth vessel targeted in recent weeks, as U.S. officials intensify their efforts against illicit oil shipments.
The Olina, which was reportedly flying the flag of Timor Leste under false pretenses, had previously sailed from Venezuela and returned to the region. An industry source with direct knowledge of the situation confirmed this information.
In a pre-dawn operation, marines and sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear, launched from the USS Gerald R. Ford, apprehended the Olina in the Caribbean Sea “without incident,” according to the U.S. Southern Command’s statement on X.
Read more: US Seizes Russian-Flagged Tanker and Another Tied to Venezuela
“Once again, our joint interagency forces sent a clear message this morning: ‘there is no safe haven for criminals,’” the statement emphasized.
The Olina had left Venezuela fully loaded with oil as part of a flotilla shortly after the U.S. seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on January 3. The vessel was reportedly returning to Venezuela after the U.S. blockade of Venezuelan oil exports, according to the industry source.
According to British maritime risk management company Vanguard, the vessel’s AIS (location) tracker was last active 52 days ago in the Venezuelan Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), northeast of Curacao. “The seizure follows a prolonged pursuit of tankers linked to sanctioned Venezuelan oil shipments in the region,” they noted.
The U.S. had imposed sanctions on the Olina in January of last year when it was known as the Minerva M. Washington claimed it was part of a so-called shadow fleet of ships that operate with minimal regulation or known insurance.
Earlier this week, U.S. forces also seized the M Sophia, another tanker from the same flotilla that left Venezuela. Three additional vessels—Skylyn, Min Hang, and Merope—also fully loaded, returned to Venezuelan waters on Thursday, as reported by the industry source.
Furthermore, seven more tankers from that flotilla, all fully loaded, were expected to return to Venezuelan waters on Friday and Saturday. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell stated, “In the past 24 hours alone, at least seven ‘dark fleet’ oil vessels have turned around to avoid interdiction – because they know we mean business.”
All oil aboard these ten tankers is owned by the Venezuelan state producer PDVSA, although the company did not immediately respond to requests for comment. It remains unclear whether Washington will take further action against the other tankers heading towards Venezuela.
The U.S. blockade of sanctioned Venezuelan oil remains fully in effect “anywhere in the world,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated on Wednesday.
(Reporting by Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart, Chen Aizhu, and Jonathan Saul; writing by Jonathan Saul; editing by Mark Potter, Hugh Lawson, and Stephen Coates)
Photograph: Evana, an oil tanker, is docked at El Palito Port in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, Dec. 21, 2025. The U.S. military says U.S. forces have boarded another oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea. The Olina is the fifth tanker seized by U.S. forces. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix, File)
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In a significant move to curb Venezuelan oil exports, the U.S. has seized the Olina tanker in the Caribbean. This marks the fifth vessel targeted in recent weeks, as U.S. officials intensify their efforts against illicit oil shipments.
The Olina, which was reportedly flying the flag of Timor Leste under false pretenses, had previously sailed from Venezuela and returned to the region. An industry source with direct knowledge of the situation confirmed this information.
In a pre-dawn operation, marines and sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear, launched from the USS Gerald R. Ford, apprehended the Olina in the Caribbean Sea “without incident,” according to the U.S. Southern Command’s statement on X.
Read more: US Seizes Russian-Flagged Tanker and Another Tied to Venezuela
“Once again, our joint interagency forces sent a clear message this morning: ‘there is no safe haven for criminals,’” the statement emphasized.
The Olina had left Venezuela fully loaded with oil as part of a flotilla shortly after the U.S. seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on January 3. The vessel was reportedly returning to Venezuela after the U.S. blockade of Venezuelan oil exports, according to the industry source.
According to British maritime risk management company Vanguard, the vessel’s AIS (location) tracker was last active 52 days ago in the Venezuelan Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), northeast of Curacao. “The seizure follows a prolonged pursuit of tankers linked to sanctioned Venezuelan oil shipments in the region,” they noted.
The U.S. had imposed sanctions on the Olina in January of last year when it was known as the Minerva M. Washington claimed it was part of a so-called shadow fleet of ships that operate with minimal regulation or known insurance.
Earlier this week, U.S. forces also seized the M Sophia, another tanker from the same flotilla that left Venezuela. Three additional vessels—Skylyn, Min Hang, and Merope—also fully loaded, returned to Venezuelan waters on Thursday, as reported by the industry source.
Furthermore, seven more tankers from that flotilla, all fully loaded, were expected to return to Venezuelan waters on Friday and Saturday. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell stated, “In the past 24 hours alone, at least seven ‘dark fleet’ oil vessels have turned around to avoid interdiction – because they know we mean business.”
All oil aboard these ten tankers is owned by the Venezuelan state producer PDVSA, although the company did not immediately respond to requests for comment. It remains unclear whether Washington will take further action against the other tankers heading towards Venezuela.
The U.S. blockade of sanctioned Venezuelan oil remains fully in effect “anywhere in the world,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated on Wednesday.
(Reporting by Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart, Chen Aizhu, and Jonathan Saul; writing by Jonathan Saul; editing by Mark Potter, Hugh Lawson, and Stephen Coates)
Photograph: Evana, an oil tanker, is docked at El Palito Port in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, Dec. 21, 2025. The U.S. military says U.S. forces have boarded another oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea. The Olina is the fifth tanker seized by U.S. forces. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix, File)
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