Source: Reuters – https://www.reuters.com/world/china/us-forces-seize-third-sanctioned-oil-tanker-pentagon-says-2026-02-24/
U.S. maritime operations in international waters intensified this week as American forces intercepted and seized another sanctioned oil tanker—marking the third such interdiction in the Indian Ocean in recent weeks. The tanker BERTHA was taken into U.S. custody after being tracked from the Caribbean to waters near the Maldives, the Pentagon confirmed on Tuesday.
The operation is part of an expanded U.S. enforcement campaign targeting vessels connected to sanctioned tankers to transfer oil from Russia, Venezuela or Iran. According to Reuters, the Bertha had been flying a Cook Islands flag and was linked to Shanghai Legendary Ship Management Company Limited, a firm sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) since 2020. Attempts to reach the company for comment were unsuccessful.
Vessel Linked to Venezuelan Oil Flows
The Bertha departed Venezuela in early January carrying approximately 1.9 million barrels of Merey heavy crude, reportedly bound for China. It was one of the last ships in a small flotilla attempting to move sanctioned Venezuelan cargoes before U.S. authorities expanded maritime interdiction activities.
The Pentagon stated that U.S. forces conducted a “right-of-visit maritime interdiction” without incident. Officials accused the vessel of attempting to evade sanctions and defy restrictions previously imposed on sanctioned traffic in the Caribbean.
“From the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean, we tracked it and stopped it,” the Pentagon wrote on X, noting that the Bertha was the final vessel among three that had attempted to escape interception.
Growing List of Seized Tankers
The seizure follows two similar operations this month:
- Aquila II, a Suezmax tanker boarded in the Indian Ocean.
- Veronica III, intercepted on February 15.
In total, U.S. forces have boarded or seized ten tankers since December, with at least two later released to Venezuela’s new government, Reuters reported.
Broader Strategic Signals
The series of maritime operations comes in the wake of the dramatic U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January—a move that has reshaped Washington’s strategic posture in the region. Additionally, President Donald Trump has ordered the renaming of the U.S. Department of Defense to the Department of War, pending congressional approval.
The Pentagon reiterated its stance that “international waters are not a refuge for sanctioned actors,” signaling that maritime enforcement actions are likely to continue.
