The U.S. Department of Homeland Security released this week a video lasting more than seven minutes showing the boarding and seizure of the supertanker M/T CENTURIES, flying the Panamanian flag and owned by a Chinese company, carried out in international waters in the southern Caribbean, off the coast of Venezuela.
The operation was conducted by a U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Security Response Team (MSRT), with support from the U.S. Navy.
According to U.S. authorities, this is the second seizure of a sanctioned tanker in the region within a span of just a few days.
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The action follows President Donald Trump’s announcement on December 17 of a total blockade on sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela.
Officials involved in the operation, who spoke on condition of anonymity, did not disclose the exact location of the boarding, 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 exports.
Impact on exports and the “shadow fleet”
After the first operation, Venezuela’s oil exports recorded a sharp decline. Several vessels already loaded with cargo remained in Venezuelan waters to avoid the risk of seizure. Even so, the blockade is not considered absolute.
While many vessels involved in transporting Venezuelan oil are under sanctions, other ships carrying Venezuelan oil—as well as crude oil from Iran and Russia—are not on restrictive lists. Some companies, including U.S.-based Chevron, continue to transport Venezuelan oil on their own vessels, supported by specific authorizations.
In response to international pressure, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro ordered the Venezuelan Navy to begin escorting ships carrying petroleum products. Several vessels have already departed Venezuela 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 U.S. control over energy routes in the Caribbean region.
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Source and images: Homeland Security X @DHSgov | Secretary Kristi Noem X @Sec_Noem. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
