Washington: In a dramatic enforcement action that highlights mounting U.S.–Venezuelan tensions, the United States government seized the oil tanker M/T Skipper off the coast of Venezuela on Dec. 10 just as the federal warrant authorizing the operation was about to expire, court documents disclosed Friday. The narrow timing underscores the urgency with which U.S. authorities acted to intercept the vessel allegedly carrying sanctioned crude.
According to the unsealed warrant signed Nov. 26 by U.S. Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui, U.S. law enforcement had until Dec. 10 to take control of the Skipper, which had departed Venezuela’s Puerto José after loading approximately 1.8 million barrels of Merey heavy crude. The Trump administration alleges the tanker was involved in transporting oil in violation of longstanding U.S. sanctions on Venezuelan and related Iranian shipments.
FBI Director Kash Patel said the seizure the first of a Venezuelan oil cargo since sanctions were tightened in 2019 reflects Washington’s effort to “impose costs” on both the Venezuelan and Iranian governments, which U.S. officials contend have exploited shadow shipping networks to evade restrictions.
Following the operation, the Skipper was ordered to sail toward a U.S. port, with authorities planning formal legal proceedings to claim its cargo. Because the vessel is too large to dock directly, sources familiar with the situation say it will anchor offshore, with oil transferred to smaller ships for transport.
Caracas condemned the seizure as an “act of international piracy,” with Venezuelan officials denouncing it as a blatant violation of national sovereignty. Relations between the two governments have soured rapidly amid the dispute, contributing to broader diplomatic friction that includes the suspension of a U.S. migrant repatriation flight a move Caracas said was in response to U.S. actions.
Analysts note that this seizure coupled with an increased U.S. military presence in the Southern Caribbean forms part of a larger U.S. strategy to pressure President Nicolás Maduro’s government and weaken its economic lifelines, particularly its oil revenue. Venezuela, heavily dependent on crude exports for fiscal stability, has seen shipments slow sharply since the tanker’s interception triggered widespread shipping cancellations and hesitancy among foreign operators to enter Venezuelan waters.
Data and industry sources indicate that tankers carrying close to 11 million barrels of crude now remain anchored in Venezuelan ports as the risk of further U.S. seizures grows, with Washington having already imposed additional sanctions on several supertankers and related shipping firms. Only a small number of shipments primarily those chartered by Chevron under an authorized agreement have left Venezuelan waters in recent days.
U.S. officials have also hinted at plans to target other vessels linked to sanctioned oil networks, underscoring a sustained campaign of economic pressure on the Maduro administration. Meanwhile, Venezuelan authorities have taken steps such as initiating withdrawal from the International Criminal Court and denouncing ongoing U.S. measures as aggression.
The tanker seizure sits against a backdrop of broader U.S. maritime operations in the region, including a series of naval strikes and interdictions targeting suspected drug trafficking vessels moves that have drawn scrutiny from human rights and international law experts.
The interception also sent ripples through global energy markets, with benchmark crude prices experiencing volatility following news of disrupted Venezuelan exports. Geopolitical analysts say the dispute could strain broader Western relations with Caribbean and Latin American partners, complicating diplomatic efforts even as Washington seeks to contain what it describes as illicit oil trade.
As the Skipper continues toward U.S. waters under escort and legal actions proceed, both sides appear poised to defend their respective positions with potential implications for oil flows, regional diplomacy, and enforcement of international sanctions regimes well into 2026.