U.S. authorities boarded and seized the oil tanker Olina in Caribbean waters near Trinidad on 9 January 2026, in what officials described as the fifth interdiction in recent weeks as Washington steps up enforcement actions targeting ships allegedly tied to sanctioned Venezuelan crude and deceptive flag practices.
The 114,809 deadweight-tonne tanker was taken under U.S. control during the operation. Maritime databases cited in reporting indicate Olina had been presenting a Timor-Leste flag that was not considered valid. The vessel’s automatic identification system (AIS) was last active in November 2025, showing the ship off the northern coast of South America, inside Venezuela’s exclusive economic zone, to the northeast of Curaçao. Prior to that, the tanker had called at ports in South Korea and China.
Shipping intelligence referenced by maritime outlets suggests Olina loaded at Venezuela’s José terminal on 24–25 December 2025 and began transiting the Caribbean in early January. Vessel records list ownership since July 2025 under Hong Kong-registered Tantye Peur Limited.
The seizure follows two other interdictions this week: the tanker M Sophia in Caribbean waters and Bella 1, also operating as Marinera, in the North Atlantic. British authorities supported the North Atlantic action, according to reporting.
U.S. officials have framed the interdictions as part of a wider campaign to disrupt networks of tankers that move Venezuelan crude—often toward Asia or via ship-to-ship transfers—while masking origin, cargo details, and flag status. A senior U.S. official said additional vessels moving in groups across Atlantic and Caribbean waters are being pursued, though operational details remain limited.
U.S. officials also argue that vessels operating without a legitimate flag or using falsified documentation can lose protections typically afforded under maritime law, allowing boardings under court-backed enforcement actions. The operations have drawn criticism from Venezuela and Russia, with Moscow warning it could respond by seizing U.S.-flagged ships.
