Overview
- The Marinera, seized last week in the North Atlantic, dropped anchor in Scotland’s Moray Firth for crew provisions at the request of the U.S. Coast Guard, with the U.K. assisting but not boarding.
- U.K. officials say the Sanctions and Money Laundering Act 2018 provides a legal basis to board and detain stateless or falsely flagged tankers, with Special Boat Service raids under consideration and planning described as early stage.
- Reuters reports the U.S. has filed for court warrants to seize dozens more tankers tied to Venezuelan oil, following recent interdictions, with a temporary pause in new actions since Friday noted by sources.
- U.S. European Command confirmed the court-authorized seizure of the Marinera after a transatlantic chase that used RAF support and U.S. special-operations aircraft, and U.S. Southern Command reported taking the stateless M/T Sophia in the Caribbean.
- Russia denounced the operations as unlawful “piracy,” and U.K. ministers are discussing whether oil or proceeds from seized shadow-fleet cargoes could be directed to support Ukraine.