The United States has seized a second oil tanker, this time in the Caribbean Sea, announced on Wednesday the Southern Command of the USA. According to the American military, the ship – described as a “stateless motor tanker, authorized for ghost fleet” – was detained in an operation carried out before dawn.
“The intercepted ship, M/T Sophia, was operating in international waters and was conducting illicit activities in the Caribbean Sea,” stated a communique from the American authorities. According to the same source, the US Coast Guard is escorting the ship to US territory for final resolution.
An American official confirmed to NBC News that the operation was successfully completed. According to him, the oil tanker Marinera was secured and is now in US custody. The operation was coordinated by the Department of Homeland Security of the USA, with American military support.
The Position of the Russian Federation
In Moscow, the Russian Foreign Ministry rejected the accusations made by the American side. According to statements quoted by the state television channel Russia Today, Russian authorities argue that the ship was in international waters and acted in accordance with international maritime law.
The Russian Ministry claims that the oil tanker, previously known as Bella 1, flies the Russian flag and has asked Western countries, including the United States, to respect the principle of freedom of navigation.
In a separate reaction, the Russian Ministry of Transport confirmed that it lost contact with the oil tanker Marinera and described its interception as “illegal”. Russian authorities believe that the action violates the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Involvement of Great Britain
The Ministry of Defense in London acknowledged that the operation benefited from British support. According to a statement from the Ministry of Defense of the United Kingdom, British armed forces provided “planned operational support”, including access to military bases for American units involved in the interception.
The British Ministry specifies that the support was granted at the request of the United States and targeted an area located between Great Britain, Iceland, and Greenland.
Context
The interception of the oil tanker Sophia is the second action of this kind announced by the American authorities in a short period of time. Washington claims that such ships are part of the so-called “ghost fleet”, used for oil transports that would violate international sanction regimes.
Moscow rejects this qualification and insists that the ships involved operate legally, in accordance with international law.
What’s next
The American authorities have not yet announced what will be the final decision regarding the oil tanker escorted to the United States. Also, there is no public information regarding possible response measures from the Russian Federation.