On Friday, January 9, the United States seized another oil tanker believed to be linked to Russia’s “shadow fleet.” The vessel, named Olina, was stopped in the Caribbean Sea near Trinidad and captured during an operation carried out by the US Coast Guard. The incident was officially confirmed by the US Armed Forces’ Southern Command.
According to Southern Command’s social media post, the “Southern Spear” task force and Marines seized the tanker Olina without incident. The operation was supported by the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and other US vessels.
Reports indicate that the Olina tanker’s registration number matches that of the Minerva M tanker, which was placed under US sanctions in January 2025. Minerva M was sanctioned as part of the “shadow fleet” used to transport Russian oil in violation of Western restrictions.
According to US authorities, operations against tankers involved in exporting oil from Venezuela largely target “shadow fleet” vessels, which account for 70% of Venezuela’s oil exports. These US operations against Venezuela and Russia continue to deliver results.
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