US Coast Guard Tracks Oil Tanker Near Venezuela
22nd Dec. 2025
The US Coast Guard is actively tracking another oil tanker in international waters close to Venezuela, according to US officials. It marked the second pursuit in a single weekend and the third such incident within a week. The development underscores Washington’s escalating pressure campaign against Venezuela’s oil sector, a critical pillar of the country’s economy.
Officials described the latest operation, which unfolded in the Caribbean Sea on Sunday, as an “active pursuit”. According to them, the vessel is part of a sanctioned dark fleet vessel that was involved in sanctions evasion. The incident followed the seizure of a separate tanker a day earlier that further intensified tensions between the US and Venezuela.
Illegal Oil Trade linked with the Sanctioned Vessel
According to unnamed US officials cited by the Associated Press and Agence France-Presse, the ship was flying with a false flag and was already subject to a judicial seizure order. Media reports identified the vessel as the Bella 1, an oil tanker already sanctioned by the US in 2024 over alleged links to Iran and Hezbollah.
US forces reportedly approached the vessel late on Saturday. However, the ship did not submit to boarding and continued sailing. It prompted officials to describe the situation as ongoing. Data from the maritime tracking site TankerTrackers indicated that the tanker was heading toward Venezuela but was not carrying cargo.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has recently declared, what he described as a “blockade” targeting sanctioned oil tankers moving into or out of Venezuela. As a result, the US has significantly increased its military presence in the region.
Tracking Oil Tanker in Venezuela rising Geopolitical Tensions
Since the start of the intensified campaign, US forces have conducted more than two dozen military strikes against vessels in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean near Venezuela. Those actions have reportedly resulted in at least 100 deaths, raising concerns among international observers.
White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett sought to reassure Americans, saying the seized vessels were operating illegally. “And so, I don’t think that people need to be worried here in the US that the prices are going to go up because of these seizures of these ships,” he said. “There’s just a couple of them, and they were black market ships.” Nevertheless, oil traders warned that the seizures could push prices higher when Asian markets reopen. Although optimism around a potential end to the war in Ukraine may cap further increases in price.
The Venezuelan government has condemned the seizures as “blatant theft” and “an act of international piracy”, while President Nicolás Maduro has ordered naval escorts for oil tankers. Meanwhile, US officials, including Republican Senator James Lankford, have openly backed regime change, and Trump has refused to rule out open conflict, stating: “I don’t rule it out, no.” Together, these developments signal a sharp escalation in one of the region’s most volatile standoffs.
Web Resources on tracking of oil tanker near Venezuela
1. FoxNews.com: US Coast Guard pursues third ‘dark fleet’ oil tanker
2. ABCNews.go.com: US Coast Guard actively pursuing another sanctioned vessel, Official
3. Reuters.com: US pursuing third oil tanker near Venezuela, officials say