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Oil tanker Marinera, previously known as Bella 1, which was seized by the U.S. Coast Guard last week, is moored next to a U.S. Coast Guard vessel in the Moray Firth, off the coast of Scotland, Britain, January 14, 2026. The U.S. military and Coast Guard have seized five vessels in recent weeks in international waters that were either carrying Venezuelan oil or have done so in the past. REUTERS/Russell Cheyne
Russian-Flagged Tanker Seized By U.S. Arrives in UK Waters
(Bloomberg) — An oil tanker sailing under the flag of Russia arrived in UK territorial waters — days after it was seized in the Atlantic Ocean by US forces.
“The Bella 1 entered UK waters to be replenished with essential supplies – including food and water for the crew – yesterday before it continues its onward journey,” the country’s Department for Transport said in a statement.
The tanker was followed across the Atlantic Ocean by a US coastguard boat and ultimately seized while in international waters. The ship, which industry databases show had previously flown a false flag, switched to sail under the Russian flag — meaning it’s registered there. Moscow complained about the seizure.
The US has grabbed at least four oil tankers that either carried Venezuelan oil, or sought to do so, having blockaded the Latin American country’s exports before capturing its president, Nicolás Maduro.
The UK’s Department for Transport said the country is “stepping up” its response to so-called shadow-fleet vessels — ships that often have unclear ownership and insurance status and sail under questionable flags.
It didn’t say where the Bella 1 — which was renamed to the Marinera during the chase across the Atlantic — will go next. The vessel remains in UK waters for now.
The BBC reported its arrival in the UK on Tuesday, saying it was in the Moray Firth, relatively sheltered waters in northeast Scotland.
New Zealand has imposed its largest-ever maritime sanctions package against Russia, designating 100 vessels linked to the country’s “shadow fleet” and lowering the price cap on Russian crude to $44.10 per barrel. The sweeping move significantly expands Wellington’s enforcement reach and aligns with broader international efforts to curb Moscow’s oil revenues.
Russia has threatened to deploy its navy to protect merchant tankers linked to its oil trade, marking a sharp escalation in the battle over Western sanctions that is increasingly shifting from financial pressure to physical enforcement at sea. Senior Kremlin security official Nikolai Patrushev warned that if blockades cannot be resolved peacefully, the Russian Navy would “break any blockade,” raising the risk of direct confrontation in contested waterways such as the Baltic and North Atlantic.
Oil gained the most since October as traders weighed whether talks between the US and Iran will be enough to avert conflict, following a report that American military intervention could come sooner than expected.
February 18, 2026
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