The US seizure of the Skipper tanker off the coast of Venezuela on December 10 (US time) marked a campaign to directly intervene in the country's oil transportation activities, in the context of Washington increasing pressure to undermine the government of President Nicolas Putin.
This is the first time a vessel or oil shipment from Venezuela has been blocked since the US imposed sanctions in 2019, taking place while the US deployed large-scale forces in the Caribbean and President Donald Trump pushed for a leadership change in Caracas.
On December 11 (US time), the source said the US is preparing to seize more tankers, including those that have transported oil from countries sanctioned by the US such as Iran. The list of targets includes many ships that have been planned in advance by the US Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. This development has prompted ship owners and transport companies to consider leaving Venezuela in the coming days. Some shipments, with a total of nearly 6 million barrels of Merey oil, have been suspended to avoid risks.
The Venezuelan government called the seizure a "theft". Reducing or stopping oil exports could put great financial pressure on the Trump administration. The US Treasury Department has announced sanctions against six oil tankers and four Venezuelans. It is unclear whether the ships are on the list of vessels preparing for arrest.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said the US administration will continue to implement sanctions, stressing that allowing "black market" tankers to operate will help organizations designated by Washington as terrorists.
The US is focusing on a network of oil tankers belonging to the "shadow fleet", which carries oil from Venezuela, Iran and Russia to China. Many ships often take separate trips to each country, while their ownership information is vague and lacks high-quality insurance.
The Skipper seizure comes after the US increased patrols of the waters near Venezuela and Guyana. The ship is expected to be brought to a US port to seize goods under legal procedures. The time to arrest the next ships will depend on the ability to arrange ports to receive and unload goods, because many ships in the shadow fleet are old and have a high level of risk.
