In late December 2025, the U.S. Coast Guard attempted to intercept a sanctioned oil tanker that was heading to Venezuela pick up a load of crude oil. After the U.S. started boarding sanctioned tankers off the coast of Venezuela, and the USCG challenged the Bella 1, the vessel changed course, heading away from Venezuela in an attempt to avoid seizure by the U.S. Despite the USCG efforts, the tanker would not stop and refused to be boarded.
The Bella 1 used familiar tactics that sanctioned oil tankers employ to hide their identity and location. Its AIS transponder had been turned off since mid-December. It later resumed transmissions as it headed north in the Atlantic Ocean.
Several days ago, the tanker was registered as a Russian vessel, changed its name from the Bella 1 to the Marinera, and painted a Russian flag on the hull. The Bella 1 now has listed Sochi, Russia as a home port, so it is now flying the Russian flag putting the vessel under the protection of Russia. This has complicated the situation for the United States – raising jurisdictional questions and increasing tensions with Russia.
While the ship was suspected of not flying a valid national flag it could be boarded by U.S. authorities; but under the Russian flag, the boarding of the oil tanker becomes problematic. Russia has filed a diplomatic request (CNN, Jan 2, 2026) asking the U.S. to stop pursuing the oil tanker.
The ship is part of a shadow fleet that transports oil for Russia and Iran, a violation of sanctions. Since 2002, it has had seven different names. The Bella 1 was at one time flagged out of Panama. In mid-December, The Bella 1 was flying the flag of Guyana. It was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department in 2024 for its prior involvement in Iranian oil tradiing as well as shipping crude from Venezuala to China.
The vessel is a crude oil tanker that was built in 2002. It has an average speed of 10 knots. Maritime vessel trackers online show that it has visited ports in China, the Mediterranean, and in the Caribbean. The Bella 1 / Marinera is a VLCC-class crude oil tanker. It is more than 300 meters long with a 60-meter beam. It has a very large hull that can be difficult to board by a boarding party.
As of January 5, 2025, the oil tanker was in the Atlantic Ocean west of Ireland by about 250 miles heading towards the North Sea – its destination unknown. Its projected path is likely traveling around the top of the British Isles and then on to ports in northern Europe or Russia. On social media, there is speculation (@DefenceGeek, Jan 4, 2026) that the U.S. may intercept the Bella 1 / Marinera in the North Atlantic. The U.S. military has a robust capability to conduct Visit Board Search and Seizure (VBSS) operations.
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Image: ChatGPT. Map by CIA. This story will be updated as more details emerge.
