United States Steps Up Enforcement of Sanctions, Intercepts Oil Tankers

Between December 2025 and January 2026, the United States intercepted at least five oil tankers involved in the transportation of sanctioned crude originating from Iran, Venezuela, and Russia. The actions illustrate Washington’s growing reliance on coercive enforcement to ensure compliance with sanctions. U.S. officials have repeatedly urged the European Union to adopt similar measures, particularly within territorial waters.

The intercepted vessels are suspected of employing a range of evasion techniques, including false flagging, AIS manipulation, position spoofing, and so-called “gray zone” operations designed to conceal the origin and destination of sanctioned oil.

Skipper (IMO 9304667)

The tanker transported approximately 1.83 million barrels of Venezuelan crude while falsely operating under the flag of Guyana. According to U.S. authorities, the vessel is linked to an Iranian oil-smuggling network that financed Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Hezbollah. The network was reportedly coordinated by Viktor Artemov, an individual designated by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

Centuries (IMO 9206310)

Although not formally sanctioned, the vessel’s history of AIS shutdowns, position falsification, and high-risk voyages to China provided the legal basis for exercising the “right of visit.” Approximately 1.8 million barrels of oil were found on board off the coast of Venezuela.

Bella I / Marinera (IMO 9230880)

A textbook example of “gray zone” activity, the tanker has been involved in flag changes, signal spoofing, and alleged links to the IRGC and Hezbollah. The vessel is owned by a Turkish company under U.S. sanctions and is itself designated by the United States. After an attempt to reflag under the Russian flag, the ship reportedly received escort from the Russian Navy.

M/T Sophia (IMO 9289477)

The tanker formed part of a large-scale mid-Atlantic ship-to-ship (STS) hub used to consolidate Russian oil shipments bound for China. According to Lloyd’s List Intelligence, the vessel is linked to a network of 13 tankers acquired by an anonymous buyer through 20 interconnected single-vessel offshore companies registered in Hong Kong and mainland China. All but one of the vessels were subsequently involved in high-risk STS transfers in an area approximately 860 nautical miles west of Portugal, in international waters. The tanker is under U.S. and Canadian sanctions and was carrying about 1.8 million barrels of Venezuelan crude.

Minerva M / Olina (IMO 9282479)

Operating without a valid flag or under a false Timor-Leste registration, the tanker is sanctioned by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and other jurisdictions. The vessel exported Russian crude to China and India and departed Venezuela carrying approximately 700,000 barrels of sanctioned oil.