US Seizure of Venezuelan Oil Tanker Heightens Regional Tensions
- The United States seized a sanctioned oil tanker off Venezuela, a move that immediately lifted global oil prices and heightened tensions with Caracas
- Venezuela denounced the action as “blatant theft” and vowed to take its case to international bodies, while Iran also condemned the seizure
- Analysts warned the incident added fresh uncertainty to oil markets, even as Washington intensified pressure on President Nicolas Maduro
The United States seized a sanctioned oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday, December 10, 2025.
The move immediately pushed oil prices higher and sharply escalated tensions between Washington and Caracas.
Source: Getty Images
“We’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela, large tanker, very large, largest one ever, actually, and other things are happening,” Trump said, as he continued to press Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to step down. Asked about the fate of the oil, Trump added: “We keep it, I guess.”
Venezuela accuses US of piracy
According to Reuters, the Venezuelan government issued a statement accusing Washington of “blatant theft” and described the seizure as “an act of international piracy”.
Officials said they would denounce the incident before international bodies. Maduro, speaking at a march on Wednesday, did not directly address the reports of the seizure.
Iran’s embassy in Caracas also condemned the action, calling it a “grave violation of international laws and norms” in a post on X on Thursday.
Details of seized Venezuelan vessel
British maritime risk management group Vanguard reported that the very large crude carrier (VLCC) Skipper was believed to have been seized early on Wednesday.
The tanker, previously known as Adisa, had been sanctioned by the U.S. for alleged involvement in Iranian oil trading.
According to satellite data analysed by TankerTrackers.com and internal records from Venezuela’s state oil company PDVSA, the Skipper departed Venezuela’s main oil port of Jose between December 4 and 5 after loading 1.8 million barrels of Merey heavy crude.
Before the seizure, it transferred about 200,000 barrels near Curacao to the Panama-flagged Neptune 6, which was bound for Cuba.
Guyana’s maritime authority said the Skipper was falsely flying its flag. PDVSA data showed the vessel had transported Venezuelan oil to Asia between 2021 and 2022.
Venezuela: Oil prices rise after US action
Oil futures rose following the news. Brent crude futures gained 27 cents, or 0.4%, to settle at $62.21 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures increased by 21 cents, also 0.4%, to close at $58.46 per barrel.
Analyst Rory Johnston of Commodity Context said: “This is just yet another geopolitical/sanctions headwind hammering spot supply availability. Seizing this tanker further inflames those prompt supply concerns but also doesn’t immediately change the situation fundamentally because these barrels were already going to be floating around for a while.”
Chevron, which partners with PDVSA, confirmed its operations in Venezuela were continuing without disruption. The U.S. oil major increased shipments last month to 150,000 barrels per day from 128,000 barrels per day in October.
Source: Getty Images
Venezuela: Pressure on Maduro intensifies
The seizure marked the first US action against a Venezuela-related tanker since Trump ordered a military build-up in the region. Washington has imposed sanctions on Venezuelan oil since 2019 but had not previously interfered directly with shipments.
Maduro has alleged that the US military presence is aimed at overthrowing him and taking control of Venezuela’s oil reserves, the largest in the world.
Since September, the Trump administration has carried out more than 20 strikes against suspected drug vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific, killing over 80 people.
Legal experts have raised concerns about the legality of these operations, noting limited evidence that the targeted boats were carrying drugs. Reports this month suggested that one commander ordered a second strike that killed two survivors, further fuelling criticism.
Domestic opposition in the US
A Reuters/Ipsos poll published on Wednesday found that many Americans opposed the US military's campaign of deadly strikes on suspected drug vessels. The survey revealed that about one-fifth of Trump’s Republican supporters also disapproved of the operations.
In a strategy document released last week, Trump stated that his administration’s foreign policy would focus on reasserting U.S. dominance in the Western Hemisphere.
Trump's warning to Nicolas Maduro
Legit.ng earlier reported that President Donald Trump delivered a stern ultimatum to Nicolás Maduro to leave Venezuela immediately before announcing that the country’s airspace would be closed, according to the Miami Herald.
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Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
