A newly unsealed warrant shows the US Coast Guard seized the M/T Skipper, a crude oil tanker caught off Venezuela’s coast just before its expiration date. The move aims to cut off illicit oil flows and sanctions Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro’s inner circle amid escalating US sanctions against Iranian-backed networks. The seizure is part of the Trump administration’s campaign to choke off oil imports from Venezuela, increasing risks for companies involved in transporting the country’s crude.
Source: https://www.axios.com/2025/12/13/venezuela-oil-tanker-seizure-warrant