The United States seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, President Donald Trump said, jolting crude prices and raising the prospect of deeper confrontation with Nicolás Maduro’s government over the OPEC nation’s chief source of revenue.
“We’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela, large tanker, very large, largest one ever, actually, and other things are happening,” Trump said. He did not identify the vessel or provide details on the interdiction, including the flag it was flying or the precise location.
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British maritime risk firm Vanguard said the tanker is believed to be the Skipper, seized early today. The vessel was previously known as the Adisa and had been sanctioned by the United States over what Washington said was its involvement in Iranian oil trading.
Oil futures rose after news of the seizure. Brent crude settled up 27 cents, or 0.4%, at $62.21 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate added 21 cents, or 0.4%, to $58.46 per barrel.
The move signals a potential escalation in U.S. efforts targeting Venezuela’s oil sector, which remains the Maduro government’s financial lifeline. Even amid mounting pressure on Maduro, Washington had until now stopped short of interfering directly with the country’s oil flows.
Venezuela exported more than 900,000 barrels per day last month, the third-highest monthly average so far this year, as state-owned PDVSA increased imports of naphtha to dilute extra heavy crude. Caracas has had to discount shipments to its main buyer, China, amid growing competition from other sanctioned barrels, including those from Russia and Iran.
“This is just yet another geopolitical sanctions headwind hammering spot supply availability,” said Rory Johnston of Commodity Context. “Seizing this tanker further inflames those prompt supply concerns but also doesn’t immediately change the situation fundamentally because these barrels were already going to be floating around for a while.”
Venezuelan officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The seizure comes alongside a U.S. military buildup in the region. Trump has ordered the deployment of an aircraft carrier, fighter jets and tens of thousands of troops, a posture that Maduro has framed as a prelude to overthrowing him and seizing control of Venezuela’s vast reserves.
Since early September, the Trump administration has carried out more than 20 strikes against suspected drug boats in the Caribbean and Pacific, killing more than 80 people. Experts say the strikes may be illegal, citing limited public evidence that the vessels were carrying narcotics and questioning the necessity of lethal force rather than interdiction and arrests.
Concerns intensified this month after reports that the commander overseeing the operation ordered a second strike that killed two survivors. A Reuters/Ipsos poll published today found broad opposition among Americans to the campaign of deadly strikes, including about one-fifth of Trump’s Republican base.
Trump has repeatedly raised the possibility of U.S. military intervention in Venezuela. In a strategy document released last week, he said his administration would prioritize reasserting U.S. dominance in the Western Hemisphere.
U.S. officials did not say which nation’s flag the seized tanker was flying or where the interdiction occurred. The lack of detail, coupled with rising oil prices and continued scrutiny of U.S. maritime operations, underscores the volatility surrounding Venezuela’s oil exports and the global market’s sensitivity to new sanctions and enforcement actions.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
