US hands over seized oil tanker to Venezuela
The Chronify
The United States is returning a Panama-flagged supertanker it seized earlier this month to Venezuela, officials said. The move comes amid Washington’s broader campaign targeting vessels linked to Venezuelan oil exports.
The United States is handing over a tanker it seized earlier this month to Venezuelan authorities, two US officials told Reuters on Wednesday.
The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, identified the vessel as the Panama-flagged supertanker M/T Sophia. They did not disclose the reasons behind the decision to return the ship.
The handover comes as part of a wider US effort to disrupt Venezuela-linked oil shipments. Since late last year, Washington has seized or apprehended at least seven oil tankers suspected of being connected to Venezuela’s energy exports.
US authorities have not provided further details on whether the return of the tanker signals a shift in enforcement policy or was driven by legal, diplomatic, or operational considerations.
The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, identified the vessel as the Panama-flagged supertanker M/T Sophia. They did not disclose the reasons behind the decision to return the ship.
The handover comes as part of a wider US effort to disrupt Venezuela-linked oil shipments. Since late last year, Washington has seized or apprehended at least seven oil tankers suspected of being connected to Venezuela’s energy exports.
US authorities have not provided further details on whether the return of the tanker signals a shift in enforcement policy or was driven by legal, diplomatic, or operational considerations.
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