Sanctioned Russian Tanker Sails Through English Channel
A sanctioned Russian tanker, previously identified as Tia in 2024, is currently navigating through the English Channel, just one day after the US and its allies seized a Kremlin-flagged vessel off the coast of Iceland.
The development comes hours after two Russian and Venezuelan-flagged oil tankers were seized by the US and its allies, including with help from the UK. The seizures were conducted as part of the US Coast Guard’s dual operation to seize Venezuela-linked oil tankers in a “meticulously coordinated” operation, according to US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
Seizures Conducted Off Iceland and in Caribbean
The operations, which took place within hours of each other, saw troops board one ship in the North Atlantic Sea and another in international waters near the Caribbean. The tankers – the Marinera and the Sophia – were “either last docked in Venezuela or en route to it.” Speaking on Wednesday evening, Defence Secretary John Healey told Ministers that while no UK personnel took part in the boarding of the Marinera, its forces supported the operation “at the request of the US”.
Surveillance and Re-flagging
The hastily reflagged oil tanker was under US military surveillance roughly 250 miles off the coast of Ireland after evading interception in the Caribbean last month, changing its name, and turning north towards Russia. The vessel, formerly known as Bella 1, has been renamed Marinera, re-registered in Russia, and had a crudely painted Russian flag slapped onto its hull.
Marinera’s History and Current Status
The Marinera is not currently carrying oil but has a long history of transporting sanctioned Venezuelan crude and has been under sustained US surveillance for weeks. Its current status as a sanctioned vessel underscores the ongoing efforts to enforce international sanctions against Russia and its allies.
Original Article: Sanctioned Russian ‘shadow fleet’ tanker is sailing through the English Channel — Co