NATO apprehensive about darkish fleet crews as US seizes Russian tanker

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The seizure of a Russian-linked oil tanker within the North Atlantic has highlighted "fear" amongst NATO and Nordic-Baltic governments over darkish fleet vessels and the kind of crews onboard, in line with a maritime intelligence analyst.

U.S. navy and Coast Guard personnel boarded the Marinera between Iceland and the U.Ok. Wednesday because it operated below misleading delivery practices, together with flying a false flag and violating sanctions.

Based on Reuters , Russian authorities demanded the humane remedy and repatriation of the crew members.

Windward maritime intelligence analyst Michelle Wiese Bockmann claimed the Marinera’s possession had simply been transferred to Burevestmarin LLC, a Russian company.

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U.S. forces seized the Russian-flagged Marinera oil tanker within the North Atlantic Sea Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, in line with the U.S. navy. (US European Command)

"We have no idea the standing of those sailors and seafarers, who're Russian nationals," Wiese Bockmann instructed Fox Information Digital. "That lack of readability is frequent with darkish fleet tankers.

"The Marinera did have its possession transferred to a newly fashioned Russian firm, with the registered proprietor, ship supervisor and business supervisor being Burevestmarin LLC."

She additionally steered NATO and the Nordic-Baltic 8+ group of governments have been "apprehensive" about sanctioned oil tankers with unauthorized personnel onboard, together with " armed guards ."

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U.S. forces seized the Russian-flagged Marinera oil tanker within the North Atlantic Sea Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, in line with the U.S. navy. (US European Command)

"More and more, and I do know the Nordic Baltic 8+ governments are apprehensive about the truth that you might be having unauthorized individuals additionally on board, also called armed guards," Wiese Bockmann stated. "However it's extremely irregular.

"Armed guards are not often seen and usually used on ships which are transiting the Gulf of Aden or the Crimson Sea and are due to this fact assessed as in danger from assault by Houthis or pirates," she added.

After the seizure, White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt rejected Russian calls for for particular remedy of the Marinera’s crew throughout her common briefing Wednesday.

"This was a Venezuelan shadow fleet vessel that had transported sanctioned oil," Leavitt stated.

"The vessel was deemed stateless after flying a false flag, and it had a judicial seizure order. And that’s why the crew will likely be topic to prosecution."

Russia’s International Ministry stated it was "carefully following" the state of affairs, in line with the state-run TASS news agency .

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A crude oil tanker waits its flip to be loaded with crude oil at Lake Maracaibo in Maracaibo, Zulia State, Venezuela, Could 9, 2025. (Federico Parra/AFP/Getty Pictures)

Wiese Bockmann famous that darkish fleet crews are sometimes multinational, usually involving a Russian grasp with Chinese language, Indian or Filipino crew members.

"There's a blurring of economic and navy delivery across the darkish fleet," she stated. "What we’re seeing now could be one thing that has actually solely emerged within the final six or seven months."

European authorities have additionally begun holding crews accountable, significantly when captains are "facilitating harmful misleading delivery practices, comparable to spoofing and going darkish," she defined.

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"The EU recently sanctioned the captain of a tanker who refused orders from the Estonian navy (Jaguar) to be stopped for inspection final Could. And the French charged a captain over his refusal to adjust to orders and failure to justify a flag’s nationality after authorities intercepted a darkish fleet tanker within the Atlantic final October," Wiese Bockmann added.

As beforehand reported by Fox Information Digital, a second vessel , the M. Sophia, was additionally boarded in worldwide waters close to the Caribbean whereas en path to Venezuela.

Fox Information Digital has reached out to the White Home for remark.

Emma Bussey is a breaking information author for Fox Information Digital. Earlier than becoming a member of Fox, she labored at The Telegraph with the U.S. in a single day crew, throughout desks together with international, politics, information, sport and tradition.