In one of its most aggressive maritime enforcement actions in recent years, the United States has seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic. The vessel, identified as the Bella One, is connected to Venezuela and forms part of a vast shadow network of tankers allegedly evading international sanctions.
Tracking the 'Ghost Ship' Bella One
According to retired US Air Force Lieutenant General Richard Newton, the tanker had been under surveillance for weeks before the United States Coast Guard moved to board it. The Bella One had previously operated in the Caribbean before steaming north and repeatedly altering its identity. "This was actually the Bella One oil tanker, the sanctioned oil tanker that previously was in the Caribbean," Newton told Sunrise. "Then it was steaming north, got into the North Atlantic, and renamed, but it has also changed flags."
So-called 'ghost ships' are commercial vessels that disappear from regulatory oversight. They routinely change names, ownership, and national flags while at sea to disguise their origins and cargo. This practice has grown as sanctions on nations like Russia, Iran, and Venezuela have tightened, creating a parallel energy supply chain.
A High-Stakes Seizure and Legal Questions
The operation, which took place near Iceland, has sparked complex questions about international maritime law. The Kremlin reacted with outrage, with one Russian lawmaker labelling the seizure "outright piracy" and an unlawful act.
However, US authorities and security experts argue the action was legally justified. Newton stated the US "retains the right" to board vessels on the high seas involved in illicit trafficking. Security expert Will Geddes noted the vessel was effectively stateless, meaning the US was "perfectly within their rights to interdict." Notably, the Bella One was empty when seized. Its crew will be taken to the United States for legal proceedings.
Broader Geopolitical Tensions
This seizure occurs against a backdrop of intensified US pressure on Venezuela, following Washington's involvement in the removal and arrest of President Nicolás Maduro. "What the administration is really aiming for is to build the conditions for a free market economy," Newton said regarding Venezuela, adding that free elections could still be months away.
Republican strategist Matthew Bartlett described the tanker seizure as "an assertion of US leadership in the Western Hemisphere that we have certainly not seen in decades, maybe ever." For Russia, the move is seen as a dangerous precedent challenging its maritime influence. For the United States, it signals a new willingness to aggressively pursue sanction evasion, even at the risk of heightened geopolitical tensions.
