US Escalates Venezuela Blockade With Seizure of Fifth Oil Tanker

2026-01-09 global

Washington D.C., Friday, 9 January 2026.
US forces intercepted a fifth “ghost fleet” tanker falsely flying a Timor-Leste flag, signaling a sharp escalation in the economic blockade against Venezuelan oil exports.

New Phase in Venezuelan Blockade

In a pre-dawn operation on Friday, January 9, 2026, U.S. military forces intercepted and seized the oil tanker Olina in the Caribbean Sea, marking a significant escalation in Washington’s campaign to control Venezuela’s energy exports [1][2]. This action follows the dramatic events of January 3, when U.S. forces executed a complex operation resulting in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and the subsequent announcement of temporary U.S. administration over the nation’s governance. The seizure of the Olina, identified as the fifth vessel targeted in recent weeks, underscores the administration’s aggressive stance on enforcing sanctions against what it terms “ghost fleet” vessels attempting to evade the blockade [1][2][3]. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed the operation, stating that the vessel had departed Venezuela in an attempt to evade U.S. forces and warning that illicit maritime networks “will not outrun justice” [2][5].

Anatomy of the Interception

The operation was executed by the Joint Task Force Southern Spear, involving U.S. Marines and sailors launched from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford [2][3]. Authorities apprehended the Olina in international waters east of the Caribbean Sea, near Trinidad, without incident [2][7]. To evade detection, the tanker was falsely flying the flag of Timor-Leste, a tactic increasingly employed by sanctioned entities to mask their origins [2][7][8]. Maritime intelligence reveals the vessel’s Automatic Identification System (AIS) had been dark for 52 days, with its last known position recorded in November 2025 within Venezuela’s Exclusive Economic Zone [2][7]. While U.S. officials suspect the ship was transporting embargoed oil, technical analysis of the ship’s draught suggests it may have been empty at the time of seizure, highlighting the complexities of enforcing maritime sanctions [2][7].

Dismantling the Shadow Fleet

The Olina, formerly known as the Minerva M and sanctioned by the U.S. since January 2025, is part of a larger “shadow fleet” operating with opaque ownership to bypass international restrictions [4][7]. This seizure is not an isolated incident but part of a systematic dismantling of Venezuela’s illicit export infrastructure. Earlier this week, U.S. forces seized the M Sophia in the Caribbean and the Russian-flagged Bella 1 (renamed Marinera) in the North Atlantic [5][6][7]. The pressure appears to be yielding results; following the Olina‘s interception, three other vessels from the same flotilla—Skylyn, Min Hang, and Merope—aborted their voyages and returned to Venezuelan waters on Thursday, January 8 [3][4]. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasized the reach of this campaign, declaring that the blockade remains in full effect “anywhere in the world” [3][4].

Geopolitical Ripples and Market Strategy

The aggressive enforcement of the blockade has drawn sharp diplomatic rebukes, particularly from Moscow. The Kremlin condemned the seizure of the Russian-flagged Marinera as a “gross violation” of international maritime law and dispatched naval assets, including a submarine and destroyer, to monitor the situation [5][6]. Despite these tensions, the Trump administration is pivoting toward stabilizing Venezuela’s energy sector under U.S. oversight. President Trump announced the cancellation of a “second wave of attacks” citing cooperation and scheduled a meeting with oil executives at the White House for today, January 9, to discuss infrastructure reconstruction [4][6]. This aligns with the administration’s broader strategy to rehabilitate Venezuela’s oil capacity—the owner of the world’s largest proven reserves—while maintaining a strict cordon against unauthorized exports [4][6].

Sources

Sanctions enforcement Oil tankers