US Prepares to Seize More Sanctioned Oil Tankers Off Venezuela

The United States is reportedly preparing to escalate its enforcement of sanctions against Venezuela by intercepting and seizing additional ships transporting Venezuelan oil in the coming weeks. This move follows the dramatic seizure of a sanctioned oil tanker earlier this week—the first interdiction of an oil cargo or tanker from Venezuela since US sanctions began in 2019. One source familiar with the matter confirmed that the U.S. has already assembled a target list of several more sanctioned tankers for possible seizure.
Escalation Against the “Shadow Fleet”
The latest intelligence suggests the U.S. Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security have been planning these seizures for months. The seizure campaign is aimed squarely at the “dark fleet” of vessels that transport oil from sanctioned countries, often engaging in deceptive and unsafe shipping practices. The first seizure this week targeted the tanker Skipper (previously sailing as the Adisa), which the White House confirmed was a “sanctioned shadow vessel known for carrying black-market sanctioned oil” destined for the Iranian National Guard.
The White House has defended the aggressive actions: “We’re not going to stand by and watch sanctioned vessels sail the seas with black market oil, the proceeds of which will fuel narcoterrorism of rogue and illegitimate regimes around the world,” said White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt.
The seizure has immediately put shipowners, operators, and maritime agencies on alert, with many reportedly reconsidering planned sailings from Venezuelan waters in the coming days. This escalation is expected to further drive up the costs of freighting Venezuelan oil, making it harder for the Maduro regime to sell its crude.
Over 30 Ships at Risk in Venezuelan Waters
The threat of seizure is highly credible, as more than 30 sanctioned ships could currently be within the reach of U.S. naval forces positioned near Venezuela. The U.S. has sanctioned almost all of PDVSA’s (Venezuela’s state oil company) fleet in recent years, along with a handful of tankers that transport Venezuelan oil to Cuba.
The US is expected to specifically target ships carrying Venezuelan oil that may have also transported oil from other sanctioned countries, such as Iran. This targets a common practice where a single vessel will often make separate runs for Venezuela, Iran, and Russia.
This campaign is the latest move in President Donald Trump’s increased pressure campaign against Nicolás Maduro, which includes a large-scale military buildup in the southern Caribbean and a formal push for the Venezuelan leader’s ouster. The aggressive maritime enforcement also coincides with new sanctions placed on three of Maduro’s nephews and six companies involved in the oil sector.