US seizes third sanctions-violating oil tanker in Indian Ocean

The US military has captured a third vessel accused of violating sanctions in the Indian Ocean, the oil tanker Bertha, which was intercepted after attempting to evade a quarantine zone in the Caribbean, the US Department of Defense said on X Feb. 24.

US forces conducted a maritime boarding of the Bertha in the Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility, the Department of Defense said. The vessel had been operating in defiance of a quarantine established by US President Donald Trump for sanctioned ships in the Caribbean region before attempting to flee, according to the statement.

"From the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean, we tracked it and stopped it," the Department said. "No other nation has the global reach, endurance, or will to enforce sanctions at this distance."

The US seized the Veronica III and the Aquila II in the Indian Ocean earlier this month.

The capture is a part of a continued escalation in US enforcement of maritime sanctions, marking the 10th captured tanker globally since December 2025, and could signal tighter scrutiny of vessels carrying crude from sanctioned countries.

Data from S&P Global Commodities at Sea shows Venezuelan crude exports in February flowing primarily to China, the US, Malaysia and Spain.

Month to date, China has imported 6.4 million barrels of Venezuelan crude, the US has imported almost 9 million barrels, while Malaysia has received around 4 million barrels.

Spain has imported 2 million barrels this month so far, the first shipments since March 2025. New purchasers also include Thailand and Hong Kong, which have purchased around 1.9 million barrels each.

Preliminary CAS data also show shipments scheduled to discharge in March: 3.7 million barrels of Venezuelan crude are scheduled to arrive in China next month, and the US has 2.8 million barrels set to arrive. Malaysia so far has 6 million barrels expected to be discharged in March.

Fixture data collected by S&P Global Energy CERA shows one such shipment chartered by Chevron on a vessel named the Dubai Attraction. The tanker is headed to the US Gulf Coast from Venezuela and is due to arrive by March 9.

Sanctions enforcement

CAS shows the Bertha was sailing under a flag from Curacao labeled "false" and is currently located in the Gulf of Guinea. The vessel's location data now appears obscured following the interdiction, with no voyage history currently available in tracking systems.

The interdictions come as the US seeks to restrict maritime movement of sanctioned vessels globally.

The capture of vessels operating under false flags could complicate shipping logistics for buyers of Venezuelan crude, potentially requiring alternative routing or increased insurance costs for cargoes from sanctioned origins.

While Venezuela remains under comprehensive US sanctions targeting its oil sector, recent licenses have eased some restrictions.

The five general licenses the US Treasury Department has recently issued give companies like Chevron and Repsol the tools they need to increase supply in the short term, said Nick Blanco, an analyst with S&P Global Energy CERA.

In the medium to long term, however, there will need to be political legitimacy in Venezuela, coupled with the removal of sanctions, to entice other large oil companies to invest, Blanco said.