U.S. military and Coast Guard forces seized the Russian-flagged oil tanker Marinera in the North Atlantic early today, concluding a weeks-long pursuit that unfolded amid the presence of Russian naval assets and extensive U.S. and allied surveillance operations.

A U.S. official confirmed to The Military Report that American forces had secured the vessel. Personnel from the U.S. military and the U.S. Coast Guard conducted the boarding operation, according to reporting by Reuters and The Wall Street Journal.

The tanker was previously known as Bella-1 before being re-registered under the Russian flag and renamed Marinera. U.S. officials say the crew painted a Russian flag directly onto the hull during its transit across the Atlantic. The vessel was sanctioned by the United States in 2024 for allegedly transporting oil linked to a Hezbollah-associated network and is considered part of a so-called “shadow fleet” accused of moving oil for Russia, Iran, and Venezuela in violation of international sanctions.

On Dec. 20, the U.S. Coast Guard attempted to board the ship in the Caribbean as it sailed toward Venezuela. The crew refused, and the tanker reversed course, fleeing east across the Atlantic. Since then, the vessel had been shadowed by U.S. and allied aviation assets and a U.S. Coast Guard cutter.

In the hours leading up to today’s seizure, open-source maritime and aviation tracking showed heightened activity north of Scotland. U.S. Navy P-3 maritime patrol aircraft were observed on FlightRadar conducting search patterns in the area, alongside allied surveillance flights. Additional U.S. aircraft were seen departing bases in the United Kingdom and heading north toward the tanker’s position.

Elements of the U.S. Army’s 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment had deployed to the United Kingdom ahead of the operation days before. They were tracked on FlightRadar. Ship tracking data from MaritimeTraffic showed the tanker making a sharp turn south toward the United Kingdom and Ireland shortly before U.S. forces secured it.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the Russian military had dispatched a submarine and other naval assets to escort the tanker during the pursuit. Reuters separately reported that Russian Navy vessels were in the vicinity at the time the boarding occurred. There were no reports of direct confrontation.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry had earlier complained that U.S. forces were shadowing what it described as a Russian tanker thousands of kilometers from U.S. waters. U.S. officials have rejected that characterization, stating the seizure was conducted pursuant to a U.S. federal court warrant.

Earlier today, U.S. forces also seized a second oil tanker, Sophia, in the Caribbean. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said both vessels had either last docked in Venezuela or were en route there.

U.S. European Command later released a statement confirming the seizure of the Marinera, saying the action supported the enforcement of U.S. sanctions against illicit oil shipments.

Where the tankers will be taken and what their final disposition may be has not yet been disclosed.