The US Department of Defense has ramped up enforcement against shadow fleet vessels transporting sanctioned oil, forcing seven ships in 24 hours to change course and change courses in the Caribbean region. A recent seizure included Olina near Trinidad while Ukraine applauded coordinated US actions taken against Russia-linked vessels operating without proper regulation.
On 8 and 10 January 2026, the shadow fleet carrying Russian and Venezuelan oil came under increased military and regulatory scrutiny. A Palau flagged tanker linked to Russia was hit by an unmanned surface vessel off Turkiye; U.S. forces also seized two suspected sanctions evasion tankers as separate operations; regional governments as well as NATO partners are currently reviewing risks related to this opaque trade.
Over the last week, US forces have successfully arrested multiple oil tankers linked to Venezuelan crude trades - from Russian-flagged Bella 1 in the North Atlantic and stateless Sophia in the Caribbean to an East Timor flagged Olina being detained by Coast Guard agents - increasing enforcement of sanctions and heightening risks for shadow fleet operators and conventional tanker owners alike.
Over the past week, maritime sanctions enforcement took an aggressive new turn when US authorities boarded and treated as stateless the VLCC Marinera registered under Russian flag, following its controversial reflagging. Backed by extensive NATO reconnaissance and shadowed by Russian naval units, this operation demonstrated rising legal, commercial, and security risks associated with global tanker trades.
Reports surfaced over January 4-6, 2026 highlighting shadow fleet tankers reflagging to Russia near Venezuela to avoid US seizures, as well as four vessels connected with oil evasion from Venezuelan. This trend illustrated Russia's increasing role in protecting illicit tankers from interception or drone threats while testing international enforcement limits.
Over a dozen Western-sanctioned tankers have recently switched their flag to Russia's, seeking protection against U.S. interception and Ukrainian drone attacks. This marks a dramatic transformation of shadow fleet operations: vessels are moving away from open registries towards direct state protection.
Trump administration intensified enforcement against Venezuelan oil exports in late December 2025, when US Coast Guard officers seized two tankers and pursued another vessel associated with shadow fleet vessels linked to Venezuela. Operations also targeted sanctioned oil shipments connected to its government.
The US Coast Guard has intensified operations against Venezuelan oil tankers, seizing vessels and pursuing others near Venezuela in international waters. President Donald Trump ordered this action against vessels bypassing sanctions preventing oil exports to China or elsewhere, with officials preparing for high-risk boardings while monitoring global energy market impacts.
From December 6 to 25, 2025, maritime sanctions escalated with Australia designating 45 Russian-linked vessels; EU member states adding 41 vessels to the shadow fleet ban list; the U.S. seizing Venezuelan oil tankers Centuries and Bella 1, Ukraine striking Qendil tanker and Sweden detaining Russian vessel Adler as examples of behavior-based enforcement to disrupt dark fleet operations worldwide. All these actions signify a change towards behavior-based enforcement to effectively dismantle dark fleet operations worldwide.
“From December 10 to 22 2025 US seized tanker vessels that were apart of Venezuela’s shadow fleet the Skipper, Bella 1, in a historic effort to remove the country’s financial strings to PDVSA. For going after a third ship the ire of China in violation of international laws. The Americans have done the most serious enforcement.”
Last week saw everything from high end carrier deployments in the Caribbean to ballistic missile tests in Asia: US operations near Venezuela, Indian nuclear submarine progress, Pakistani anti ship ballistic tests and Iranian frigate recommissioning all flagged the rapidly changing maritime security environment that shipbuilders, weapons suppliers and regional force posture have to positively operate in.
Russia's shadow fleet continues on its rapid growth path since 2022; now representing approximately 17% of total tanker capacity. Artificial intelligence analytics, multisensor fusion new detection methodologies to counter evasion methods - AIS spoofing and false flag procedures.
On November 15th 2025 in Panama City Florida, the US Navy commemorated the commissioning of USS Pierre (LCS 38) - the last of the Independence-class littoral combat ships: marking the end of a class perhaps best exemplified by unexpected hiccups or hiccoughs (we still don’t know the correct spelling!) that delayed some ships and contributed to an overall rocky start to a class that eventually served with distinction. As the rest of the Navy prepared to commission Ship #1 in this new class, tensions in the maritime regions simmered as Chinese naval modernization, Russian exercises in Southeast Asia, and Venezuelan mobilization in response to US Carriers in the Caribbean showed how emboldened global powers were willing to be.
Between 25 November and 1 December 2025 the maritime domain witnessed 18 critical incidents from drug interdictions, to migrants and boat people being rescued, piracy attack vessels, explosion against tankers off Senegal and in Black Sea, and major drug seizures and boat people crises in Mediterranean and Turkish waters. Notably, explosions against tankers off Senegal and in the Black Sea, alongside crises affecting those coming through Euro waters due to crisis migration.
Iran seized a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, and U.S. Navy seized several Russian-flagged ships delivering diluent to Venezuela - signs of increased maritime tensions in mid-November 2025.