US Seizes Third Oil Tanker Off Venezuela as Blockade Intensifies

The United States Navy has intercepted and seized a third oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, signaling a dramatic acceleration in the Trump administration’s “total and complete blockade” of the South American nation. The seizure, which occurred late Sunday afternoon in international waters, comes less than 24 hours after U.S. forces commandeered the Chinese-owned supertanker Centuries.
Defense officials confirmed that the USS Thomas Hudner, a guided-missile destroyer, intercepted the vessel—identified as the Ocean Lotus—approximately 40 nautical miles north of the Paraguaná Peninsula. Unlike the previous seizure of the Centuries, which was described as a “consented boarding,” reports indicate the Ocean Lotus attempted to evade interception, prompting the U.S. Navy to fire warning shots across its bow before boarding teams rappelled onto the deck from helicopters.
The Ocean Lotus, flying a flag of convenience from Liberia, is believed to be part of the “Dark Fleet” utilizing complex ownership structures to mask its operations. Preliminary intelligence suggests the vessel is carrying 1.5 million barrels of heavy crude, allegedly destined for a refinery in India or China.
“The message is clear: the Caribbean is closed to illicit trade,” said a spokesperson for U.S. Southern Command. “Any vessel attempting to smuggle resources stolen from the Venezuelan people will be interdicted.”
The rapid-fire seizures—three in less than two weeks—have effectively paralyzed Venezuela’s state-run oil company, PDVSA. Maritime tracking data shows a complete halt in tanker traffic leaving Venezuelan terminals, with several incoming vessels diverting course to avoid the U.S. dragnet. The economic stranglehold is tightening by the hour, raising fears of a total collapse of the Maduro regime’s revenue stream.
Caracas has yet to respond to this latest incident, but rhetoric from the Miraflores Palace has become increasingly bellicose. With the Skipper, Centuries, and now the Ocean Lotus under U.S. control, the administration has seized nearly 5 million barrels of oil in a fortnight—assets President Trump has vowed to monetize for his “Warrior Dividend” program.