U.S. Military Boards Another Sanctioned Oil Tanker in Indian Ocean

The vessel tried to evade President Trump's quarantine on Venezuelan oil shipments.

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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The U.S. military boarded another sanctioned oil tanker, the Veronica III, in the Indian Ocean after tracking the vessel from the Caribbean Sea. The Panamanian-flagged ship was attempting to transport nearly 2 million barrels of crude and fuel oil from Venezuela, which has faced U.S. sanctions on its oil exports for several years.

Why it matters

The boarding of the Veronica III is part of the U.S. government's broader efforts to enforce sanctions on Venezuela's oil industry and target the shadow fleet of tankers being used to smuggle Venezuelan crude into global supply chains. This interdiction highlights the ongoing challenges in stopping the illicit flow of Venezuelan oil.

The details

The Veronica III was boarded by U.S. forces who conducted "a right-of-visit, maritime interdiction and boarding." The Pentagon said the vessel "tried to defy President Trump's quarantine - hoping to slip away" but was tracked from the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean and shut down. The Veronica III is a Panamanian-flagged vessel that was under U.S. sanctions related to Iran and had its Panamanian registration canceled in December 2024.

  • The Veronica III left Venezuela on January 3, 2026, the same day as the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro.
  • Since 2023, the Veronica III has been involved in transporting oil from Russia, Iran, and Venezuela.

The players

Veronica III

A Panamanian-flagged oil tanker that was boarded by U.S. forces in the Indian Ocean after attempting to transport Venezuelan crude oil in violation of U.S. sanctions.

Nicolás Maduro

The former president of Venezuela who was apprehended in January 2026 during an American military operation.

Donald Trump

The former U.S. president who ordered a quarantine of sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers in December 2025 to pressure Maduro.

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What’s next

The U.S. military did not specify whether the Veronica III was formally seized and placed under U.S. control. The ultimate fate of the tanker is still being decided by the United States.

The takeaway

This boarding operation is the latest in the U.S. government's ongoing efforts to enforce sanctions on Venezuela's oil industry and disrupt the illicit networks being used to transport Venezuelan crude globally. It highlights the challenges in stopping the flow of sanctioned oil from reaching international markets.