U.S. Seizes Oil Tanker in Caribbean After Departing Venezuela
“As another “ghost fleet” tanker ship suspected of carrying embargoed oil, this vessel had departed Venezuela attempting to evade U.S. forces.”
The US seized the oil tanker Olina in the Caribbean Sea this morning after it departed Venezuela.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem wrote on X:
The world’s criminals are on notice.
Early this morning, the @USCG executed a boarding and seizure of the Motor Tanker Olina in international waters east of the Caribbean Sea. As another “ghost fleet” tanker ship suspected of carrying embargoed oil, this vessel had departed Venezuela attempting to evade U.S. forces.
Close coordination with the @DeptofWar, @StateDept, and @TheJusticeDept ensured a safe, effective boarding consistent with law.
The ghost fleets will not outrun justice. They will not hide under false claims of nationality.
The Coast Guard will seize sanctioned oil tankers, enforce U.S. and international law, and eliminate these funding streams for illicit activity including narco-terrorism.We are deeply proud of the Coast Guard’s maritime fighting force for their relentless execution of this mission. This is owning the sea.
The world’s criminals are on notice.
Early this morning, the @USCG executed a boarding and seizure of the Motor Tanker Olina in international waters east of the Caribbean Sea. As another "ghost fleet" tanker ship suspected of carrying embargoed oil, this vessel had departed… pic.twitter.com/vvS3u3nrvl
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) January 9, 2026
Reuters reported that Olina “was falsely flying the flag of Timor Leste, had previously sailed from Venezuela and had returned to the region.”
British maritime risk management company Vanguard said Olina’s tracker last showed it to be active 52 days ago, northeast of Curaçao.
The US sanctioned Olina last year:
The Olina left Venezuela last week fully loaded with oil as part of a flotilla shortly after the U.S. seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on January 3, and the vessel was returning fully loaded to Venezuela following the U.S. blockade of Venezuelan oil exports, the industry source said.
The U.S. imposed sanctions on the Olina in January last year, when it was named the Minerva M, for what Washington said was it being part of the so-called shadow fleet of ships that sail with little regulation or known insurance.
U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) has announced and published footage of this morning’s boarding and seizure of the stateless sanctioned oil tanker, M/T Olina, in the Caribbean Sea, carried out by Sailors and Marines assigned to Joint Task Force-Southern Spear (JTF-SS), in… pic.twitter.com/CG9QoqL5Yf
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) January 9, 2026
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Comments
The freighter we caught in the north Atlantic with a drawn in false flag and apparently no oil, what ever became of that ship? I have lost track of them all.
made a run for Russia, but Trump said no. All your ghost fleet are mine.
Everything has been curiously silent about what was on that vessel. It didn’t appear to be oil and from what I have read little can be stored below decks on an oil tanker. Russia certainly was very interested in intimidating the USA from capturing the ship.
I get the impression the general public will never really know what was aboard.
That is precisely my question. A load of oil would ride low in the water while an empty hold will ride high. It could be empty which would allow the ship to go on once checked over. I suspect it had a ‘cargo’ of Cuban and maybe even Russian ‘mercs’ with some weapons on board. Thus the silence. So far.
Not to worry, ‘Top Men’ are working the issue while the contents are loaded into crates and stashed on shelf in the same warehouse they used for the Ark of the Covenant.
According to Whats Going on with Shipping (youtube, Sal Mercogliano), about 16 ships left Venezuela a few days ago to attempt a blockade run en masse.
I am curious how they prioritized the ships. This one, it seems, was prioritized to send a message. Will they get all the tankers trying to run the blockade, or will some turn back (would a sanctioned vessel really turn back?)
Drawing fire through obvious action is so trendy these days.
never get tired of winning
I understand that the ICJ said that the Chavista regime had to recompense US oil companies for seized assets, but didn’t. Maybe this is Trump acting as a collection agency?