US seizes Olina tanker in Caribbean, fifth vessel taken in Venezuela blockade

 The United States has seized the Olina tanker in the Caribbean, the fifth vessel targeted in recent weeks as Washington steps up efforts to curb Venezuelan oil exports, US officials said yesterday (9 January).

The Olina, which, according to the public shipping database Equasis, was falsely flying the flag of Timor-Leste, had previously sailed from Venezuela and had returned to the region, an industry source with direct knowledge of the matter said.

In a pre-dawn operation, marines and sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear, launched from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, apprehended the Olina in the Caribbean Sea "without incident," the US Southern Command said in a post on X.

"Once again, our joint interagency forces sent a clear message this morning: 'There is no haven for criminals,'" it said.

The Olina left Venezuela last week fully loaded with oil as part of a flotilla shortly after the US seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on January 3. The vessel was returning fully loaded to Venezuela following the US blockade of Venezuelan oil exports, the industry source said.

"The vessel's AIS (location) tracker was last active 52 days ago in the Venezuelan exclusive economic zone, northeast of Curaçao," British maritime risk management company Vanguard said separately.

"The seizure follows a prolonged pursuit of tankers linked to sanctioned Venezuelan oil shipments in the region."

The US imposed sanctions on the Olina in January last year, when it was named the Minerva M, for what Washington said was its role as part of a so-called shadow fleet of ships that sail with little regulation or known insurance.

The M Sophia, another tanker that was part of a flotilla of around a dozen vessels that left Venezuela earlier this month, was seized by US forces earlier this week.

Three vessels — Skylyn, Min Hang and Merope — all fully loaded and part of the same flotilla that departed last week, sailed back to Venezuelan waters on Thursday, according to the industry source.

Seven additional tankers from that flotilla, also fully loaded, were set to return to Venezuelan waters on Friday and Saturday, the source said.

"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," Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said on Friday in a post on X.

All of the oil on board these 10 tankers is owned by Venezuelan state producer PDVSA, the source added. PDVSA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

It was unclear whether Washington would take action against the other tankers sailing towards Venezuela.

The US blockade of sanctioned Venezuelan oil remains in full effect "anywhere in the world," Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday.