The United States has seized the Olina oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea, marking the fifth vessel intercepted in recent weeks as Washington intensifies efforts to curb Venezuelan oil exports under a naval blockade, US and industry sources۔
According to public shipping records, the Olina was falsely flying the flag of Timor-Leste and had previously sailed from Venezuela before returning to the region, officials said. The vessel was being targeted as part of broader U.S. actions against tankers linked to sanctioned Venezuelan oil shipments.
In a pre-dawn operation, U.S. Marines and sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear, deployed from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, boarded and seized the tanker in the Caribbean Sea “without incident,” U.S. Southern Command said on social media. The command said the operation sent a clear message that “there is no safe haven for criminals.”
Industry analysts say the Olina was returning to Venezuelan waters fully loaded with oil at the time of its interception, following a flotilla of tankers leaving Venezuela after the U.S. launched its blockade of sanctioned oil exports.
The Olina seizure is part of an ongoing campaign that has seen multiple Venezuela-linked tankers targeted by U.S. forces, including other vessels classified as part of a so-called “shadow fleet” operating with false documentation and flags to evade sanctions.
While the U.S. blockade on Venezuelan oil remains in full effect, it is unclear whether Washington will take further action against additional tankers heading toward Venezuelan waters۔
