The United States seized a large oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela on 10/12, a vessel President Donald Trump described as "the largest ever." Speaking to reporters before a White House roundtable, Trump affirmed the tanker "was seized for a very good reason." When questioned about the fate of the oil onboard, he responded, "We're going to keep it, I guess."
US Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed the seizure on X, stating the vessel belonged to an "illegal oil shipping network" used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran. A video shared by Bondi depicted US soldiers rappelling from a helicopter onto the tanker's deck before entering the bridge with rifles raised.
Although the US administration did not officially name the ship, UK-based maritime risk management firm Vanguard identified it as the Skipper. The vessel had previously been sanctioned by the US for its alleged involvement in Iranian oil trade when it was known as Adisa.
The Skipper departed Venezuela's main Jose oil port between 4/12 and 5/12, having loaded approximately 1.1 million barrels of crude oil. This information was based on satellite data analyzed by TankerTrackers and internal shipping data from Venezuela's national oil company, PDVSA.
The Trump administration recently intensified its pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. It deployed a fleet of warships, including the world's largest aircraft carrier, to the region for anti-drug operations. The US carried out attacks on over 20 alleged drug-carrying vessels in the area, resulting in at least 87 fatalities.
President Trump has also repeatedly suggested the possibility of US military intervention in Venezuela. In response, President Maduro accused the US of being determined to destabilize his government and seize control of Venezuela's vast oil reserves.
By Vu Hoang (According to AFP, Reuters)
