In a pre-dawn operation launched from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, U.S. forces seized the oil tanker Olina in the Caribbean Sea on Friday, January 9, 2026. This interdiction marks the fifth such seizure in recent weeks, signalling an aggressive intensification of Washington’s maritime blockade aimed at exerting total control over Venezuela’s petroleum exports.
The operation, executed by Joint Task Force Southern Spear, comes less than a week after the dramatic capture of Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces on January 3. The U.S. maintains that these seizures are necessary to dismantle the “shadow fleet” of vessels used to circumvent international sanctions.
The Interception of the ‘Olina’
The Olina, which had previously been sanctioned under the name Minerva M, was apprehended near Trinidad while attempting to navigate under a fraudulent flag of Timor-Leste.
- The Tactic: According to shipping databases, the vessel had “run dark,” disabling its AIS (location) tracker for 52 days to evade detection within the Venezuelan Exclusive Economic Zone.
- The Cargo: Industry sources indicate the ship was part of a flotilla that departed Venezuela shortly after the fall of the Maduro administration, carrying hundreds of thousands of barrels of crude oil destined for international black markets.
- The Command: U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) confirmed the seizure was “conducted without incident,” stating that there is “no safe haven” for vessels engaged in illicit sanctions evasion.
The “Shadow Fleet” Crackdown
The Trump Administration’s current strategy focuses on “ghost ships”—rusting, unregulated tankers that lack legitimate insurance or transparent ownership. In the first week of January alone, the U.S. has intercepted a string of high-profile targets across both the Atlantic and Caribbean.
| Vessel Name | Seizure Date | Location | Flag/Status |
| Olina | Jan 9, 2026 | Caribbean | False (Timor-Leste) |
| Marinera (Ex-Bella 1) | Jan 7, 2026 | North Atlantic | Russian-flagged |
| M Sophia | Jan 7, 2026 | Caribbean | Stateless/Dark Fleet |
| M Sophia | Jan 5, 2026 | Caribbean | Panamanian |
| Skipper | Dec 10, 2025 | Caribbean | Guyanese (False) |
A $2 Billion Pivot: From Blockade to Market Control
While the military enforces a “quarantine” on unsanctioned exports, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is simultaneously moving to take over the role of primary marketer for Venezuelan crude.
President Trump announced this week that Venezuela’s interim authorities would turn over between 30 million and 50 million barrels of sanctioned oil to the United States. This oil, valued at approximately $2 billion, will be sold at market prices, with the proceeds held by the U.S. to fund the “rebuilding of Venezuela.”
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright is reportedly meeting with American oil executives this weekend to discuss “significant investment opportunities” to revitalize Venezuela’s decaying infrastructure, which has seen production plummet from 3.5 million to roughly 800,000 barrels per day.
Geopolitical Tensions at Sea
The seizures have sparked sharp international reactions, particularly from Moscow. The seizure of the Marinera (formerly Bella 1) was particularly high-risk, as the vessel was escorted by a Russian submarine and naval ships at the time of its interception between Iceland and Scotland. Russian lawmakers have decried the U.S. actions as “blatant piracy,” while the U.S. Department of Justice has warned that crews failing to obey Coast Guard orders will face federal criminal prosecution.
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