Strike in the Caribbean USA seizes another tanker

Sven Ziegler

9.1.2026

The ship "Olina" has been seized.
The ship "Olina" has been seized.

The USA is taking tougher action against Venezuela's oil trade. US authorities have seized the tanker "Olina" in the Caribbean. It is already the fifth such action within a few weeks.

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  • The USA has seized the oil tanker "Olina" near Trinidad.
  • According to a US official, this is the fifth seizure as part of the crackdown on Venezuela's oil exports.
  • The ship is said to have been sailing under a false flag and had previously left Venezuela.

The United States has seized another oil tanker in the Caribbean with suspected links to Venezuela. According to the news agency Reuters, the tanker "Olina" is currently being seized in waters near Trinidad.

A US government representative said on Friday that this is the fifth such seizure within a few weeks. The measure is part of Washington's efforts to tighten control over the export of Venezuelan oil.

According to a source familiar with the case, the "Olina" had previously left Venezuela and later returned to the region. According to Reuters, public shipping data shows that the tanker is said to have been sailing under a false flag - it claimed to be sailing under the flag of East Timor.

The USA has recently significantly tightened its monitoring and enforcement measures against the Venezuelan oil trade. The aim is to prevent deliveries that could circumvent existing US sanctions. The US authorities have not yet commented on the exact legal steps taken against the ship.