U.S. authorities have successfully boarded the Russian-flagged oil tanker Marinera, previously known as Bella 1, after a pursuit spanning more than two weeks across the Atlantic Ocean, officials confirmed. The vessel, which departed Venezuela, had been the target of a U.S. seizure operation due to sanctions and its suspected transport of Iranian oil. Russian military ships and a submarine were present near the tanker during the operation but reportedly took no action, merely observing the events, according to Reuters.

The vessel had previously resisted U.S. Coast Guard boarding attempts in the Caribbean in December while still under the name Bella 1. At that time, the tanker, registered in Panama, refused to comply with U.S. demands, changed course, and painted a Russian flag on its hull to avoid capture. Shortly thereafter, it was renamed Marinera and reflagged under the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping.

The Marinera’s crew consists of Russian, Ukrainian, and Indian nationals. According to AIS tracking data, the tanker is now located roughly 200 km (124 miles) south of Iceland, having slowed to eight knots and altered its course southward. Prior movements included a northeast route past the western coast of the British Isles.

The U.S. Coast Guard operation is reportedly supported by military assets, including helicopters believed to carry U.S. forces. Russian state media RT released footage showing what appears to be a U.S. Legend-class cutter near the tanker. In addition, U.S. military aircraft have been operating over the North Atlantic, including Boeing KC-135R Stratotankers for aerial refueling and Pilatus U-28A Draco reconnaissance planes. Other reconnaissance aircraft, including P-8 Poseidons, have been observed in the same area since early January.

The tanker’s ownership has previously drawn U.S. sanctions. Louis Marine Shipholding Enterprises SA, a Turkey-based company, was blacklisted by the U.S. Treasury Department in 2024 for alleged links to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its Quds Force, which supports armed groups in the Middle East such as Hezbollah and the Houthis. Marinera is reportedly the only vessel owned by the company.

The mid-voyage change of the tanker’s flag from Guyana to Russia on December 24 was a tactic aimed at complicating U.S. enforcement. According to maritime analysts, such flag changes are rare and typically associated with “dark fleet” tankers attempting to evade sanctions. Under international law, a vessel flying a nation’s flag falls under that country’s protection, limiting boarding rights. Before reflagging, the U.S. Coast Guard could have invoked Article 110 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea to seize a stateless vessel.

The seizure of Marinera follows a series of similar incidents involving sanctioned tankers attempting to circumvent U.S. enforcement. Since December 10, when the Coast Guard seized the tanker Skipper, at least 18 sanctioned vessels have reportedly switched to Russian registries, many previously operating under false flags.

Despite diplomatic protests from Moscow - including a note sent to the U.S. State Department and the White House National Security Council on December 31 demanding the pursuit cease - U.S. authorities continued their operation, which is part of a broader effort to intercept vessels linked to Venezuela and sanctioned Russian entities.