The U.S. government has seized a large oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, which is now en route to Houston carrying approximately 1.85 million barrels of Venezuelan crude oil. Due to its size, the vessel cannot dock directly at the Houston port and will need to transfer its cargo to smaller ships nearby.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro condemned the seizure, describing it as a "kidnapping" of the crew and a "criminal and illegal act." He claimed that the tanker was intercepted outside Venezuelan waters, near the Grenadines, and expressed concern for the crew's safety, alleging that the U.S. is stealing Venezuelan resources.

The operation involved U.S. officials from the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Coast Guard, and was reportedly initiated after the ship attempted to obscure its location by transmitting false coordinates. President Donald Trump confirmed the action, stating that the U.S. intends to take control of the oil aboard the tanker, subject to legal processes. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized that this action is not intended as a precursor to broader conflict, asserting that President Trump seeks peace and aims to combat illegal drug trafficking into the U.S.

In conjunction with the seizure, the U.S. government has announced plans to increase its targeting of oil tankers in the region as part of a broader initiative to dismantle the so-called shadow fleet. This fleet enables countries like Venezuela, Russia, and Iran to engage in the global oil market despite existing sanctions. The shadow fleet consists of vessels with unclear ownership, often registered under flags of convenience, and lacking standard insurance. These ships frequently alter their names and navigation data to evade detection.

The seized vessel, previously known as the Adisa and flagged under Panama, was operating under the name Skipper and the flag of Guyana at the time of its capture. It had been sanctioned by the Biden administration in 2022 and was reportedly involved in transporting oil from Venezuela to Cuba, which has relied on Venezuelan oil amid its own energy crises exacerbated by sanctions.

The emergence of the shadow fleet has gained attention since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which prompted international sanctions aimed at limiting the Kremlin's energy revenue. Analysts estimate that shadow vessels now constitute approximately 20 percent of the global oil fleet, creating a parallel energy market that poses economic challenges to sanctioned nations while raising environmental concerns due to the potential for oil spills from poorly maintained ships.

In recent weeks, Ukrainian forces have also targeted shadow fleet tankers carrying Russian oil, marking a shift in their military strategy. This escalation could provoke retaliation from Russia, highlighting the precarious balance of military actions in the region. The U.S. seizure of the Skipper and the Ukrainian strikes on Russian vessels underscore the complexities of the shadow economy that has developed in response to increasing sanctions, suggesting that more aggressive measures may be forthcoming to address these challenges.