US military forces have boarded an oil tanker in the Indian Ocean linked to sanctioned Venezuelan crude shipments, the Pentagon said, in the latest enforcement action targeting vessels accused of evading US oil restrictions.

 

In a statement posted on X, the US Department of Defense said the Panamanian-flagged tanker Veronica III attempted to evade US measures restricting sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean and tried to flee the region. The Pentagon said the vessel was tracked over a long distance from the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean before American forces moved in and boarded it.

 

The US military shared video footage of the operation showing troops deploying by helicopter and boarding the tanker at sea. The Pentagon did not confirm whether the vessel has been formally seized or where it will be taken following the boarding, and officials said no additional details were available beyond the statement.

 

The Veronica III has been cited in maritime tracking reports as part of the broader “shadow fleet” of tankers used to move sanctioned crude through global supply chains. The vessel has been linked to oil shipments connected to Venezuela and has previously appeared in US sanctions-related enforcement reporting tied to Iranian-linked oil movements.

 

Panama’s maritime authority said the tanker is no longer registered under the Panamanian flag, confirming that its registration had been cancelled in December 2024. The development raises further questions about the vessel’s ownership and operational status, as ships involved in sanctioned oil trading frequently operate under complex flagging arrangements.

 

The boarding follows similar US actions in recent weeks. Last week, US forces intercepted another tanker, Aquila II, also linked to Venezuelan crude trade networks, indicating an expanding enforcement effort beyond the Caribbean region. US authorities have said multiple vessels have been intercepted or boarded as part of the campaign.

 

The incident highlights the increasing militarisation of sanctions enforcement at sea, as Washington continues to pursue a more aggressive approach against maritime networks involved in transporting oil from sanctioned jurisdictions. While such seizures represent only a small fraction of the global fleet suspected of carrying sanctioned cargo, analysts estimate that hundreds of vessels may be involved in transporting oil under opaque ownership structures and false or frequently changing registrations.

 

The latest boarding is likely to intensify scrutiny around shipping risk in international waters, particularly for traders, insurers and port operators exposed to sanctioned cargo flows. It also reinforces the growing geopolitical significance of maritime chokepoints and long-distance naval tracking capabilities in the global energy supply chain.