The U.S. Coast Guard seized the oil tanker Olina in a recent operation in the Caribbean Sea after identifying it as a vessel belonging to the so-called “ghost fleet” used to transport Venezuelan oil subject to international sanctions. The action is part of a broader effort by Washington to strengthen the enforcement of sanctions and curb attempts to evade restrictions in the maritime oil trade.
According to U.S. authorities, the Olina had departed from Venezuela carrying sanctioned crude and was operating using tactics commonly employed by shadow fleets, such as changing identities and disabling tracking systems. The boarding and securing of the vessel were carried out without incident as part of a coordinated operation involving multiple federal agencies.
The tanker, which previously operated under a different name, had already been linked in the past to the illicit transport of Venezuelan oil. These types of vessels often use flags of convenience and opaque routes to avoid international oversight, making them one of the main tools used by the Venezuelan regime to continue exporting oil despite sanctions.
The seizure of the Olina adds to other similar operations conducted in recent weeks, reflecting a tightening of U.S. policy against networks that finance sanctioned structures. Authorities emphasized that these actions are intended to cut off illegal revenue streams and send a clear message that there will be no tolerance for sanctions evasion.
In the current context, marked by increased international pressure on Venezuela, the operation reinforces the U.S. position of maintaining strict control over maritime traffic linked to sanctioned crude and acting decisively against any vessel that attempts to operate outside the law.
