RoydadNaft –  The United States has intercepted an oil tanker in international waters off the coast of Venezuela, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed on Saturday. The move comes just days after President Donald Trump announced a “total and complete blockade” of all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela.

This is the second such interception in recent weeks, as the U.S. ramps up military presence in the region amid escalating pressure on the Maduro regime.

Noem stated that the U.S. Coast Guard boarded the vessel, which had last docked in Venezuela, and vowed to continue targeting the illicit transport of sanctioned oil used to fund “narco-terrorism.” White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly described the tanker as a falsely flagged vessel in Venezuela’s “shadow fleet,” carrying stolen oil to support the Maduro government.

Venezuela denounced the action as “international piracy” and vowed to report it to the UN Security Council, claiming the U.S. seized a private vessel and forcibly disappeared its crew.

Maritime analysts identified the intercepted ship as the Panama-flagged Centuries, which loaded Venezuelan Merey crude (about 1.8 million barrels) bound for China under a false name and as part of the shadow fleet. The vessel departed Venezuelan waters earlier in the week but was seized east of Barbados.

U.S. officials noted the tanker was not individually sanctioned, marking an escalation in Trump’s policy beyond targeting only sanctioned vessels. Experts say this broad approach could deter even non-sanctioned ships from carrying Venezuelan oil.

Since Trump’s blockade announcement, Venezuelan crude exports have plummeted sharply. Dozens of loaded tankers remain anchored in Venezuelan waters, while China—Venezuela’s top buyer—has seen shipments drop significantly. Analysts warn that if the embargo persists, the loss of nearly 1 million barrels per day could drive global oil prices higher, though markets currently remain well-supplied.

The shadow fleet, often used to evade sanctions on Venezuelan, Iranian, and Russian oil, has become a key target. Of over 70 such tankers in Venezuelan waters, roughly half are U.S.-sanctioned.

Trump’s campaign against President Nicolás Maduro has intensified with increased U.S. military activity, including strikes on vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific near Venezuela. Maduro accuses the U.S. of plotting to overthrow him and seize control of Venezuela’s vast oil reserves, the world’s largest.

The U.S. has imposed energy sanctions on Venezuela since 2019, but traders have adapted using disguised tankers. The latest actions signal a tougher stance under the current administration.