A tanker evading US forces has re-flagged as Russian, complicating seizure efforts amid ongoing tensions over Venezuela's oil industry.
An oil tanker evading the US Coast Guard has been renamed and added to Russia's official shipping database, complicating American efforts to seize it, according to the New York Times.
The vessel, formerly known as Bella 1, is now registered as the 318,518-dwt Marinera under the Russian flag, with Sochi as its home port, according to the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping.
The tanker has been on the run since December 20 after refusing to be boarded in the Caribbean Sea. US officials stated that it was not flying a valid flag at the time, rendering it stateless under international law.
Crew members have painted a crude Russian flag on the hull and declared via radio that the ship is now Russian-flagged. The Russian government's position remains unclear, with no comments from its embassy in Washington.
US President Donald Trump has imposed a partial blockade on Venezuela's oil industry to pressure President Nicolas Maduro. The US seized two other tankers in December, and Bella 1 would have been the third.
David Tannenbaum, a former Treasury sanctions officer, expressed uncertainty regarding the validity of Russia's 'overnight flag registration,' describing the move as part of a broader pattern of Russia providing cover for the so-called dark fleet.
Bella 1 had previously been registered in Panama, Palau, Liberia, and the Marshall Islands. US forces hold a seizure warrant citing its history of transporting Iranian oil, which Washington claims finances terrorism.
American officials indicated they still intend to seize the vessel, though boarding a moving ship with a potentially hostile crew poses significant risks. The US Coast Guard continues to track the tanker.
