The United States has taken control of the Olina tanker in the Caribbean, marking the fifth vessel targeted recently to diminish Venezuelan oil exports, as per U.S. officials on Friday. The Olina, which was falsely flying the flag of Timor Leste according to the Equasis shipping database, had previously departed from Venezuela and returned to the region, as stated by a source familiar with the situation.
In an early morning operation, marines and sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear, deployed from the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier, seized the Olina in the Caribbean Sea “without incident,” announced the U.S. Southern Command. The command emphasized the message that “there is no safe harbor for criminals” with this operation.
The Olina set sail from Venezuela last week carrying a full load of oil as part of a fleet shortly after the U.S. captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on January 3. The vessel was returning fully loaded to Venezuela after the U.S. blocked Venezuelan oil exports, according to the industry source.
The vessel’s AIS tracker was last active 52 days ago in the Venezuelan EEZ, northeast of Curacao, as reported by British maritime risk management company Vanguard. The seizure of the Olina follows an extensive pursuit of tankers associated with sanctioned Venezuelan oil shipments in the region.
The U.S. sanctioned the tanker in January last year when it was known as the Minerva M, citing its involvement in the shadow fleet of ships with minimal regulation or known insurance.
Another tanker from the same fleet, the M Sophia, was seized by U.S. forces earlier this week, while three other vessels from the flotilla returned to Venezuelan waters on Thursday.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell mentioned that in the last 24 hours, seven oil vessels have altered their course to avoid interdiction, indicating the seriousness of the situation.
All the oil aboard these ten tankers belongs to the Venezuelan state producer PDVSA. It remains uncertain whether Washington will take action against the other tankers heading towards Venezuela.
The U.S. Defense Secretary affirmed that the blockade on Venezuelan oil remains fully enforced globally. In related news, U.S. President Donald Trump disclosed the cancellation of a second wave of attacks on Venezuela following positive developments and cooperation from the nation.
Trump commended Venezuela for releasing political prisoners as a gesture of seeking peace, leading to improved relations between the two countries. He mentioned plans for collaboration in rebuilding Venezuela’s oil and gas infrastructure.
Trump’s decision to cancel the anticipated attacks aligns with the progress in U.S.-Venezuela relations, with a focus on mutual cooperation and modernizing Venezuela’s energy industry.