The ship was intercepted on January 7 in northwestern Scotland. The Pentagon said Marinera, formerly named Bella 1, was involved in "violations of US sanctions" against Venezuela. The British military was confirmed to have participated in supporting the arrest operation.
Images released by British media show Marinera being escorted by a US Coast Guard ship and British tugboats at Moray Firth, a large bay located north and east of Inverness (Scotland).
A British government official said that the ship had entered British waters to supply supplies, before expected to move to another location. Marinera's final destination has not yet been announced.
Russia had previously confirmed the arrest. The Russian Ministry of Transport said Marinera had been granted a temporary license to fly the Russian flag since December 24. Moscow accused Washington of violating the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, emphasizing the principle of freedom of navigation in international waters.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said that the US has been informed many times through official channels that the ship is operating under the Russian flag. Moscow also strongly opposes US officials' threats to prosecute the crew on US territory.
Marinera's crew includes Russian, Ukrainian and Indian citizens. According to the Kremlin, Washington has agreed to release 2 Russian sailors after diplomatic contacts.
The US began monitoring Marinera from the end of December, when the ship was suspected of trying to approach Venezuela. At that time, the captain refused the US Coast Guard's request for inspection and diverted to the Atlantic Ocean, leading to a prolonged pursuit.
Meanwhile, British media reported that London believes it has established a legal basis to arrest ships suspected of belonging to the "dark fleet" in its waters.
This approach is said to be aimed at Russia, Iran and Venezuela - countries accused by London of using intermediaries to evade Western sanctions.
Under the 2018 Anti-Money Laundering and Sanctions Act, Britain has the right to detain specific ships in its territorial waters or prevent them from docking.
This regulation may directly affect ships passing through the English Channel, one of the busiest shipping routes in the world, although the law does not specify the use of military force.
The British military has not directly boarded any foreign ships to date, but has supported the US in the arrest of Marinera.
Since the Ukraine conflict escalated in 2022, the West has imposed a series of sanctions targeting Russia's oil exports and the so-called "underwater fleet". Britain has sanctioned more than 500 ships suspected of being involved in this network.
However, according to a June report by the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), in the period from 2022 to the second quarter of 2025, the UK still imported oil products derived from Russian crude oil worth about £3 billion, generating an estimated revenue of £510 million for Moscow.
