The United States seized the oil tanker The Skipper off the coast of Venezuela on March 20, 2024, following a military operation that underscores ongoing tensions between the U.S. government and the regime of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. This action involved special operations forces and was part of a broader strategy to enforce sanctions against vessels allegedly involved in transporting oil from sanctioned nations.
The operation commenced around 06:00 local time, shortly after the tanker departed from a Venezuelan port. Launched from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, which has been stationed in the area for several weeks, the mission included two helicopters and a team of 20 personnel from the U.S. Coast Guard and Marines. The Coast Guard’s elite Maritime Security and Response Team, based in Chesapeake, Virginia, led the boarding effort.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi shared a brief video of the operation on social media, capturing armed personnel descending onto the deck of the ship. She stated that the U.S. executed a seizure warrant for The Skipper, which was reportedly used to transport sanctioned oil from both Venezuela and Iran.
This type of rapid boarding operation at sea is uncommon, although U.S. officials indicated that the Coast Guard team trains for such scenarios. “This seizure, completed off the coast of Venezuela, was conducted safely and securely,” Bondi remarked. She added that investigations led by the Department of Homeland Security are ongoing to disrupt the transport of sanctioned oil.
The tanker, which is 20 years old and measures 333 meters (approximately 1,092 feet) in length, was previously known as Adisa and was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department in 2022. According to the Treasury, the vessel was linked to an oil smuggling network that allegedly funds the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group supported by Iran.
At the time of its sanctioning, the Treasury noted that the vessel is associated with Viktor Artemov, a Russian oil magnate. The sanctions were part of a broader U.S. effort to curtail oil trade involving Iran and Venezuela, both of which possess significant oil reserves but are subject to extensive U.S. sanctions.
In a statement following the seizure, Venezuela’s government condemned the action, labeling it a “shameless robbery and an act of international piracy.” The ongoing conflict over oil resources and sanctions highlights the complex international relations at play in this region, as both countries navigate the pressures of U.S. foreign policy.
As the situation develops, the U.S. remains committed to enforcing its sanctions and disrupting operations that violate international regulations. This operation marks a significant chapter in the ongoing narrative surrounding oil trade and geopolitical tensions in Latin America.
