The United States has taken control of the Olina tanker in the Caribbean, marking the fifth vessel targeted recently in a push to limit Venezuelan oil exports, U.S. officials confirmed on Friday. The Olina, which falsely claimed to be sailing under the flag of Timor Leste according to Equasis shipping database, had made a voyage from Venezuela and later returned to the region, as per an industry insider familiar with the situation.
In an early morning operation, marines and sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear, deployed from the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier, seized the Olina in the Caribbean Sea without any incidents, as announced by the U.S. Southern Command. The Command emphasized that the action sent a strong message that there is no sanctuary for criminals.
The Olina departed Venezuela fully loaded with oil following the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on January 3. The vessel was on its way back fully laden to Venezuela after the U.S. halted Venezuelan oil exports, explained the industry source.
The British maritime risk management company Vanguard reported that the Olina’s AIS tracker was last active 52 days ago in the Venezuelan EEZ, northeast of Curacao. The seizure followed an extensive pursuit of tankers associated with sanctioned Venezuelan oil shipments in the area.
The U.S. had imposed sanctions on the tanker in January last year when it was operating under the name Minerva M, citing its involvement in the unregulated and underinsured shadow fleet of vessels. Another tanker, the M Sophia, part of a group of vessels that left Venezuela recently, was also seized by U.S. forces earlier this week.
Three more vessels from the same flotilla, Skylyn, Min Hang, and Merope, which sailed back to Venezuelan waters on Thursday, were fully loaded. Additionally, seven other tankers from the flotilla, also carrying full loads, were expected to return to Venezuela on Friday and Saturday.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell highlighted that in the past 24 hours alone, at least seven ‘dark fleet’ oil vessels had turned back to avoid interception, signaling the serious intent of the U.S. forces.
All oil aboard these ten tankers belongs to Venezuelan state producer PDVSA, according to the source. PDVSA did not provide an immediate response to requests for comments. It remained uncertain whether Washington would take action against the other tankers heading towards Venezuela.
The U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reiterated that the U.S. blockade on sanctioned Venezuelan oil remains in place globally. In a recent development, President Donald Trump revealed that he had canceled a planned second wave of attacks on Venezuela following positive gestures and cooperation from the South American nation.
Trump credited Venezuela for releasing numerous political prisoners as a sign of peace-seeking efforts. He emphasized the collaborative efforts between the U.S. and Venezuela in reconstructing their oil and gas infrastructure, leading to the cancellation of the anticipated second wave of attacks.
Trump also mentioned that Venezuela opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was expected to visit Washington soon, highlighting a shift in the U.S. stance towards cooperation with the Venezuelan government. Additionally, he indicated meetings with oil executives to discuss significant investments in Venezuela’s oil sector.