The Marinera had been trailed by a U.S. Coast Guard vessel for days
On Wednesday, the U.S. military seized the Russian-flagged oil tanker ‘Marinera’ in the North Atlantic, having tracked it from the Caribbean Sea, according to Russia’s Transport Ministry.
The ministry noted that U.S. personnel boarded the vessel “on the high seas, beyond the territorial waters of any nation,” and contact with the ship was subsequently lost.
The tanker was intercepted northwest of Scotland due to an alleged breach of U.S. sanctions. The operation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security, working with the military, per U.S. European Command.
How was the tanker seized?
The ship was chartered by a private trader and previously named Bella 1, sailing under the Guyanese flag. Its 28-member crew included six Georgians, 17 Ukrainians, three Indians, and two Russians.
Reportedly, it was en route to Venezuela before the New Year when the U.S. Coast Guard tried to detain it in the Caribbean Sea. A U.S. Coast Guard cutter instructed the tanker to sail under escort to a U.S. port, as American officials said they hadn’t gotten confirmation from Guyanese authorities that the ship was permitted to fly their flag.
The tanker refused to comply with the U.S. orders, altered its course, and entered the Atlantic Ocean. It was chased by a U.S. warship and NATO aircraft, and the UK later confirmed it helped Washington capture the vessel. During the pursuit, the tanker’s captain renamed the ship Marinera and legally secured temporary Russian flag registration from the Sochi port captain, who is authorized to issue such documents. Even so, the ship was later seized under a warrant from a U.S. federal court.
Russia’s response
Russia’s Foreign Ministry has condemned the U.S. seizure of the Marinera, stating that American authorities were repeatedly notified of the vessel’s Russian ownership and civilian nature. The ministry called the actions a serious violation of international maritime law.
Moscow urged Washington to immediately stop its illegal actions against the tanker and other ships conducting lawful operations on the high seas. It also demanded that the Russian citizens on board be treated properly and permitted to return home.
Earlier, Russia’s Transport Ministry stated that the action against the vessel violated the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which guarantees freedom of navigation in international waters.
Even though the tanker was involved in a commercial operation, Moscow said it would address all matters concerning the protection of its citizens on the ship.
International reaction
China has condemned the U.S. actions, with its Foreign Ministry stating the move severely breaches international law.
“China has always opposed illegal unilateral sanctions that lack a basis in international law or authorization from the United Nations Security Council,” said spokesperson Mao Ning.
Former Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl has criticized the seizure as a clear violation of international law.
“Another day, another blatant violation of international law—this time, maritime law,” she posted on her Telegram channel.
John Mark Dougan, a former Marine and veteran police officer, told TASS that the seizure is theft and piracy cloaked in legal language.
“At this point, we should stop pretending there’s a grand strategy here and call it what it is: state-sanctioned piracy,” he said.