The United States Department of Homeland Security this week released a video lasting more than seven minutes that shows the approach and seizure of the Panamanian-flagged, Chinese-owned supertanker M/T CENTURIES, carried out in international waters in the southern Caribbean, near the coast of Venezuela.
The operation was conducted by a US Coast Guard Maritime Special Reaction Team (MSRT), with support from the US Navy.
According to US authorities, this is the second seizure of a sanctioned oil tanker in the region in the space of a few days.
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The action comes after President Donald Trump announced, on December 17, a total blockade of sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela.
Officials involved in the operation, who spoke on condition of anonymity, did not detail the exact location of the approach, but confirmed that the Coast Guard played a leading role in the action.
The first seizure, carried out about a week earlier, had already caused immediate impacts on the flow of Venezuelan oil.
Impact on exports and the “shadow fleet”
After the first operation, Venezuela’s oil exports registered a sharp drop. Several already loaded vessels remained in Venezuelan waters to avoid the risk of capture. Despite this, the blockade is not considered absolute.
Although many ships linked to the transport of Venezuelan oil are under sanctions, other vessels carrying oil from Venezuela, as well as crude oil from Iran and Russia, are not on the restrictive lists. Some companies, including the North American Chevron, continue to transport Venezuelan oil on their own ships, supported by specific authorizations.
In response to international pressure, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro ordered the Venezuelan Navy to begin escorting ships transporting petroleum products. Some ships have already left for Asia under naval escort, although, according to available information, none of them were officially listed among the sanctioned tankers.
The new seizures reinforce the escalation of Washington’s measures against maritime logistics linked to Venezuelan oil and indicate a tightening of North American control over energy routes in the Caribbean region.
Source and images: Homeland Security X @DHSgov | Secretary Kristi Noem This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
