Marinera tanker: British naval forces support US as it seizes Russian flagged ship near UK waters
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British armed forces provided support to the US’s seizure of a Russian-flagged oil tanker on Wednesday, the Ministry of Defence has revealed.
The Marinera, a Venezuelan-linked vessel previously known as Bella-1, was captured by US forces this afternoon as it travelled north and eastwards through the waters between Iceland and Scotland. RAF surveillance craft and a naval support vessel, the RFA Tideforce, were among the British military assets which took part in the operation, according to the MoD.
The capture of the Marinera, which appeared bound for a Russian arctic port, could prove a new flashpoint in relations between the the West and Moscow, whose transport ministry appeared to suggest the international law of the sea had been breached.
The department insisted the support given to the operation was “in full compliance with international law”. Defence Secretary John Healey said: “Today our UK Armed Forces showed skill and professionalism in support of a successful US interception of the vessel Bella 1 while on its way to Russia. This action formed part of global efforts to crack down on sanctions busting.
“This ship, with a nefarious history, is part of a Russian-Iranian axis of sanctions evasion which is fuelling terrorism, conflict, and misery from the Middle East to Ukraine. The UK will continue to step up our action against shadow fleet activity to protect our national security, our economy, and global stability – making Britain secure at home and strong abroad.
“The US is the UK’s closest defence and security partner. The depth of our defence relationship with the US is an essential part of our security, and today’s seamlessly executed operation shows just how well this works in practice.” The MoD added the ship had initially flown a false flag and is assessed to have been involved in illegal activity linked to Hezbollah. It is subject to anti-Iranian sanctions by the US, as part of efforts to stop the regime in Tehran from selling oil.
Marinera was said to have escaped Donald Trump’s “total naval blockade” of Venezuela, put in place in December. Photos shared by the US’s European military command on social media as it confirmed the seizure showed the Marinera at a distance off the prow of an American vessel.
The US European Command said the tanker had been “seized in the North Atlantic pursuant to a warrant issued by a US federal court after being tracked by USCGC Munro”. It added: “This seizure supports (Mr Trump’s) Proclamation targeting sanctioned vessels that threaten the security and stability of the Western Hemisphere.” Pete Hegseth, the US war secretary, wrote on social media site X: “The blockade of sanctioned and illicit Venezuelan oil remains in FULL EFFECT — anywhere in the world.”
The sanctioned tanker has been pursued by the US over several weeks. Another Venezuela-linked tanker, Sophia, was also seized by the US during a “pre-dawn” raid in the Caribbean on Wednesday, according to the US Southern Command.
Russia’s transport ministry said it had granted the Marinera, previously flagged in Guyana, a “temporary permit to sail under the Russian Federation flag” on Christmas eve. It added that “no state has the right to use force against vessels duly registered in the jurisdictions of other states” under the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea.
American and British surveillance aircraft could be seen flying over the path of the Marinera in recent days, as it made its way northwards through the Atlantic. Among the latest were US special operations aircraft, which landed at a Scottish airport, Wick John O’Groats, before flying further north towards Iceland on Wednesday, according to flight tracking websites.