Oil Tanker That Departed Venezuela With Nearly 2 Million Barrels of Oil Becomes Target of U.S. Military Operation in International Waters; Intercepted Vessel Is Called Veronica III and Accused of Being Part of a Ghost Fleet

Written by Rannyson Moura

Published on 16/02/2026 at 20:12

Updated on 16/02/2026 at 20:13

Venezuela é citada em novo caso de petroleiro interceptado pelos EUA, acusado de integrar frota fantasma que transporta petróleo sob sanções internacionais.

2 people reacted to this.

Venezuela Is Mentioned In New Case Of Tanker Intercepted By The U.S., Accused Of Being Part Of A Ghost Fleet Transporting Oil Under International Sanctions.

The Venezuela has once again drawn the attention of the international community after a tanker suspected of transporting oil under sanctions was intercepted by U.S. forces.

The ship, named Veronica III, is identified by independent monitoring as part of a so-called “ghost fleet,” used to bypass trade restrictions and keep the flow of oil running.

The operation took place in the Indian Ocean. Even so, the vessel’s trail leads directly to the Caribbean and, mainly, to Venezuela, which appears as the point of origin of a multimillion-dollar oil cargo.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

Tanker Linked To Venezuela Was Tracked For Thousands Of Kilometers

According to maritime monitoring data, the Veronica III is said to have left Venezuela on January 3, carrying about 1.9 million barrels of crude oil and fuel oil.

The information was disclosed by the website TankerTrackers.com, which monitors ship movements around the world.

The tanker, registered under the Panamanian flag, was already on the U.S. Treasury’s list as a sanctioned vessel due to alleged ties to Iran.

Even so, the ship continued sailing, crossing oceans, until it was approached by American military forces.

According to records, since 2023 the vessel has been involved in transporting Russian, Iranian, and also Venezuelan oil, reinforcing suspicions that it was part of an international network to evade sanctions.

U.S. Claims The Ship Tried To Challenge Trump’s Order

The U.S. Department of Defense issued a stern message on social media confirming the interdiction of the Veronica III. The post stated:

“We defend the Homeland first. Distance does not protect you. During the night, U.S. forces conducted, without incident, a lawful visit, maritime interdiction and approach of the Veronica III in the INDOPACOM area of responsibility. The vessel attempted to challenge President Trump’s quarantine, hoping to escape. We tracked her from the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean, closed the distance, and neutralized her. No other nation has the reach, endurance, or willingness to do this. International waters are not a refuge. By land, air, or sea, we will find you and bring justice. The Department of Defense will deny illicit actors and their intermediaries the freedom of movement in the maritime domain.”

The statement reinforces that the U.S. treats this case as part of a global offensive to block the transport of oil under sanctions, including oil that leaves Venezuela.

Experts point out that the so-called “shadow fleet” consists of tankers that change their names, flags, and registrations to evade authorities.

These ships often turn off tracking systems and operate on less monitored routes.

The Veronica III, according to investigators, was also known by the nickname DS Vector. This type of strategy facilitates the transportation of oil from countries like Venezuela, which face sanctions and restrictions in international trade.

Oil Tanker That Departed Venezuela With Nearly 2 Million Barrels of Oil Becomes Target of U.S. Military Operation in International Waters; Intercepted Vessel Is Called Veronica III and Accused of Being Part of a Ghost Fleet

Venezuela Is Mentioned In New Case Of Tanker Intercepted By The U.S., Accused Of Being Part Of A Ghost Fleet Transporting Oil Under International Sanctions.

Tanker Linked To Venezuela Was Tracked For Thousands Of Kilometers

U.S. Claims The Ship Tried To Challenge Trump’s Order

Forget petroleum-based asphalt: a Scottish company transforms 684,000 plastic bottles into one kilometer of road that is 60% more resistant and up to 10 times more durable, and the technology has already started replacing traditional asphalt in more than 30 countries.

With billions in loans, China is rebuilding Nigeria’s railway network from scratch, abandoning the British colonial tracks that have turned to scrap and creating a corridor of over 1,300 km to take the load off the roads of Africa’s largest economy.

Austrian engineers have developed an inflatable concrete technology that transforms flat slabs into domes using only air pressure, eliminating scaffolding and temporary forms, and potentially changing the way bridges, tunnels, and curved roofs are constructed worldwide.

Australia prepares to dredge 96.5 million m³ in Moreton Bay to deepen, widen, and realign channels of the Port of Brisbane, in a project of up to 25 years designed to accommodate larger ships and enhance maritime safety and regional port efficiency.

Study solves great ancient mystery: remains of Philip II, father of Alexander the Great, are identified in Vergina and resolves the enigma of the Macedonian royal tombs that had lasted half a century.

Larger than the Toyota Hilux and with a towing capacity of 3.5 tons, the new MG U9 2026 features a 2.5 turbodiesel engine, 520 Nm, 4×4 traction with three locks, and an almost full-size build.

For the first time in history, a submarine cable will descend to four thousand meters deep under the ice of the North Pole to ensure that the internet between Europe and Asia no longer depends on conflict zones in the Middle East.

While the world discusses geopolitics, China is quietly closing a deal with its Kazakh neighbor to secure grain supplies during any global food crisis, with more than 3,600 Kazakh companies already able to export directly to the Chinese market.

A British company has installed in the middle of the ocean the world’s first floating platform that generates electricity 24 hours a day from the temperature difference between the surface and the depths of the Atlantic, without relying on wind or sun.

Amid the United States’ economic blockade, China delivers 15,000 tons of rice to Cuba as part of a 60,000-ton donation personally approved by Xi Jinping. The package includes 80 million dollars and solar panels for hospitals.

The James Webb telescope spotted a planet 700 light-years from Earth with mornings full of sand clouds and nights with clear skies, the temperature difference between the two hemispheres reaches an impressive 170 degrees.

Oil Tanker That Departed Venezuela With Nearly 2 Million Barrels of Oil Becomes Target of U.S. Military Operation in International Waters; Intercepted Vessel Is Called Veronica III and Accused of Being Part of a Ghost Fleet

Venezuela Is Mentioned In New Case Of Tanker Intercepted By The U.S., Accused Of Being Part Of A Ghost Fleet Transporting Oil Under International Sanctions.

Tanker Linked To Venezuela Was Tracked For Thousands Of Kilometers

U.S. Claims The Ship Tried To Challenge Trump’s Order

Forget petroleum-based asphalt: a Scottish company transforms 684,000 plastic bottles into one kilometer of road that is 60% more resistant and up to 10 times more durable, and the technology has already started replacing traditional asphalt in more than 30 countries.

With billions in loans, China is rebuilding Nigeria’s railway network from scratch, abandoning the British colonial tracks that have turned to scrap and creating a corridor of over 1,300 km to take the load off the roads of Africa’s largest economy.

Austrian engineers have developed an inflatable concrete technology that transforms flat slabs into domes using only air pressure, eliminating scaffolding and temporary forms, and potentially changing the way bridges, tunnels, and curved roofs are constructed worldwide.

Australia prepares to dredge 96.5 million m³ in Moreton Bay to deepen, widen, and realign channels of the Port of Brisbane, in a project of up to 25 years designed to accommodate larger ships and enhance maritime safety and regional port efficiency.

Study solves great ancient mystery: remains of Philip II, father of Alexander the Great, are identified in Vergina and resolves the enigma of the Macedonian royal tombs that had lasted half a century.

Larger than the Toyota Hilux and with a towing capacity of 3.5 tons, the new MG U9 2026 features a 2.5 turbodiesel engine, 520 Nm, 4×4 traction with three locks, and an almost full-size build.

Farmer drills well in Ceará in search of water, accidentally finds crude oil and sees million-dollar discovery hindered by a rule that completely changes the future of the site.

Family finds oil on a 49-hectare site in Ceará, but exploration has no timeline or guarantee of happening

When drilling an artesian well, a farmer wanted water but found oil: ANP confirms that the dark liquid found by a farmer on a site in Ceará is crude oil.

European stocks rise with oil drop after Trump’s remarks on Iran as investors monitor global tension

While the Brazil-Peru rail has been under study for 11 years, China-Brazil unlock the $18.5 billion bi-oceanic corridor Manaus-Chancay to challenge the Panama Canal

For the first time in history, a submarine cable will descend to four thousand meters deep under the ice of the North Pole to ensure that the internet between Europe and Asia no longer depends on conflict zones in the Middle East.

While the world discusses geopolitics, China is quietly closing a deal with its Kazakh neighbor to secure grain supplies during any global food crisis, with more than 3,600 Kazakh companies already able to export directly to the Chinese market.

A British company has installed in the middle of the ocean the world’s first floating platform that generates electricity 24 hours a day from the temperature difference between the surface and the depths of the Atlantic, without relying on wind or sun.

Amid the United States’ economic blockade, China delivers 15,000 tons of rice to Cuba as part of a 60,000-ton donation personally approved by Xi Jinping. The package includes 80 million dollars and solar panels for hospitals.

The James Webb telescope spotted a planet 700 light-years from Earth with mornings full of sand clouds and nights with clear skies, the temperature difference between the two hemispheres reaches an impressive 170 degrees.