Bloomberg: US seizes largest ever Venezuelan oil tanker

US forces intercepted and seized a sanctioned Venezuelan oil tanker off the country’s coast, signalling a significant escalation in tensions between Washington and Caracas.

“We’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela — a large tanker, very large, largest one ever seized, actually,” President Donald Trump announced at the White House. “And other things are happening.”

A senior Trump administration official described the vessel as “a stateless vessel” last docked in Venezuela. Bloomberg News first reported the seizure. Following the announcement, Brent crude futures rose 0.4% in London.

Attorney General Pam Bondi shared a video on X showing armed forces descending onto the ship via Black Hawk helicopter in a fast-rope operation, a standard commando tactic. “For multiple years, the oil tanker has been sanctioned by the United States due to its involvement in an illicit oil shipping network supporting foreign terrorist organisations,” she noted. It was unclear whether the personnel were from the Coast Guard or US special operations forces.

The seizure may significantly hinder Venezuela’s oil exports, as other shippers may now avoid loading its cargoes. Most Venezuelan crude is sent to China through intermediaries at steep discounts due to sanctions risk.

“The US seizing a Venezuelan tanker is a clear escalation from financial sanctions to physical interdiction — it raises the stakes for Caracas and anyone facilitating its exports,” said Jorge Leon, head of geopolitical analysis at Rystad Energy. “This kind of action adds a geopolitical floor to prices: even modest volumes can move sentiment when the risk is about sea lanes and state-to-state escalation.”

The Trump administration has been intensifying pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, whom it accuses of overseeing a narcotrafficking operation. The Pentagon has conducted over 20 strikes against alleged drug-trafficking vessels near Venezuela and Colombia, killing more than 80 suspects. Trump has repeatedly hinted that US strikes on land are possible, declaring that Maduro’s “days are numbered.”

In recent months, Maduro has mobilized troops, ships, aircraft, and drones along the Colombian border, the coast, and islands, while urging citizens to join a militia to counter perceived US threats.

Petroleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA), the state oil company, continues to collaborate with international partners, including Chevron Corp., under arrangements exempt from US sanctions. Chevron confirmed that its operations were unaffected by the tanker seizure, with CEO Mike Wirth noting that discussions continue with the Trump administration to ensure compliance with Venezuelan sanctions.

By Tamilla Hasanova