U.S. Military forces continue to actively interdict oil tankers suspected of circumventing sanctions aimed at Venezuela, with the latest boarding occurring in the Indian Ocean on . The Pentagon confirmed that the Veronica III, a Panamanian-flagged vessel, was boarded after being tracked from the Caribbean Sea, marking the second such incident in less than a week.
This action underscores the Trump administration’s ongoing commitment to enforcing sanctions against Venezuela’s oil sector, even after the apprehension of former President Nicolás Maduro in . For years, Venezuela has relied on a “shadow fleet” of tankers – often falsely flagged – to bypass U.S. Sanctions and continue exporting crude oil into global supply chains. The recent military operations represent a significant escalation in efforts to disrupt this illicit trade.
The Pentagon stated that the Veronica III “tried to defy President Trump’s quarantine – hoping to slip away,” but was intercepted after a lengthy pursuit. The operation involved U.S. Troops boarding the tanker to conduct a “right-of-visit, maritime interdiction and boarding.” While the Pentagon has not yet confirmed whether the vessel has been seized, video footage released by the department shows U.S. Forces taking control of the ship.
According to the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, the Veronica III is already under U.S. Sanctions related to Iran. TankerTrackers.com, a maritime tracking organization, reported that the vessel departed Venezuela on – the same day Maduro was taken into custody – carrying nearly 2 million barrels of crude and fuel oil. The organization further stated that, since , the tanker has been involved in transporting oil from Russia, Iran and Venezuela.
This latest boarding follows a similar incident last week, where U.S. Military forces boarded the Aquila II in the Indian Ocean. The fate of the Aquila II remains undecided, with a defense official indicating that the U.S. Is determining its next course of action.
The Trump administration initiated a quarantine of sanctioned tankers in as a means of pressuring Maduro. Following his capture in , several tankers fled the Venezuelan coast, prompting the U.S. Military to pursue them internationally. The administration has since signaled its intention to exert greater control over Venezuela’s oil production, refining, and distribution networks.
The broader implications of these actions extend beyond Venezuela. The U.S. Is clearly signaling a willingness to aggressively enforce sanctions against entities facilitating the movement of sanctioned oil, regardless of their flag or ownership. The Veronica III’s connections to Iran and Russia highlight the complex web of actors involved in circumventing international sanctions, and the U.S. Appears determined to disrupt these networks.
The use of maritime interdiction, while legally complex, demonstrates the lengths to which the U.S. Is prepared to go to achieve its foreign policy objectives. The long-term effectiveness of this strategy will depend on the U.S.’s ability to sustain these operations and to address the underlying economic incentives that drive the illicit oil trade. The fact that vessels like the Veronica III were “running dark” – disabling their radio transponders – suggests a sophisticated effort to evade detection, requiring increasingly advanced tracking and interdiction capabilities.
Samir Madani, co-founder of TankerTrackers.com, noted that at least 16 tankers departed the Venezuelan coast following Maduro’s capture, indicating a widespread attempt to avoid the imposed quarantine. This suggests a significant volume of Venezuelan oil was in transit, and the U.S. Is now actively working to account for and potentially seize these shipments.
The ongoing operations raise questions about the potential for disruptions to global oil supply. While Venezuela’s oil production has been significantly curtailed by sanctions and economic mismanagement, it remains a substantial resource. Any further constriction of Venezuelan oil exports could put upward pressure on prices, particularly if other major producers are unable to compensate for the shortfall. The situation warrants close monitoring by energy markets and policymakers alike.
