US conducts detention of tanker Olina in Caribbean Sea – media

The United States is in the process of seizing the sanctioned oil tanker Olina in the Caribbean Sea near the island of Trinidad, Reuters reported on Friday, citing two U.S. officials.

The Olina had previously left Venezuelan ports and returned to the region, and the vessel was illegally flying the flag of East Timor, according to the public database Equasis.

"The vessel's AIS (location) system was last active 52 days ago in Venezuela's exclusive economic zone, northeast of Curacao... The vessel's seizure was the result of a long pursuit of tankers involved in sanctioned shipments of Venezuelan oil in the region," British maritime risk management firm Vanguard said separately.

The US imposed sanctions on the tanker in January last year, when it was called the Minerva M, for what Washington said was part of a so-called shadow fleet of vessels that sail with minimal regulation or no known insurance.

This is the fifth case of detention of vessels in recent weeks as part of Washington's efforts to control oil exports from Venezuela.

The Olina tanker, during the period of the G7+ oil embargo, is involved in the export of Russian oil/oil products from Russian ports in the Baltic, Black Seas, and the Pacific region, mainly to China, India, and Turkey. The international public organization Greenpeace refers the tanker to a shadow fleet of tankers that transport Russian oil around the world and threaten the environment.

On 17 December 2024, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on the vessel for transporting crude oil or petroleum products originating in Russia or from Russia to a third country. On 10 January 2025, the United States imposed sanctions on the vessel. On 21 February 2025, Canada imposed sanctions on the vessel.

On 24 February and 04 March 2025, the EU and Switzerland respectively imposed sanctions on the tanker for transporting crude oil/petroleum products originating in or exported from Russia using high-risk irregular shipping practices. In June 2025, Australia imposed sanctions on the vessel.

On 19 June 2025, New Zealand imposed sanctions on the vessel.