The U.S. Coast Guard is pursuing an oil tanker involved in transporting oil from Venezuela, according to three U.S. officials, part of an accelerating effort by the Trump administration to block ships from moving the country’s crude. One of the officials said the tanker under pursuit was previously sanctioned and part of the so-called dark fleet of vessels involved in moving oil from Venezuela. The flurry of moves against tankers signaled the Trump administration was escalating its pressure campaign against Venezuela. In the separate operation Saturday, the Coast Guard boarded a Panamanian-flagged oil tanker named the Centuries that had been docked in Venezuela, according to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem . “This escalates U.S. policy into a de facto total naval blockade of Venezuelan oil exports, which would have major negative effects on the Venezuelan economy,” he said.

Source: Wall Street Journal December 22, 2025 13:10 UTC