District of Columbia | U.S. Unseals Warrant for Tanker Seized by Coast Guard Off the Coast of Venezuela

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in D.C. unsealed a Nov. 26 seizure warrant for the crude tanker M/T Skipper (IMO 9304667) after the U.S. Coast Guard boarded and seized the vessel on Dec. 10 following its departure from Venezuela; the Treasury’s OFAC had identified the ship as part of an oil-shipping network supporting Hezbollah and Iran’s IRGC-QF, whose petroleum proceeds fund terrorist activity. The seizure—carried out by the Coast Guard with Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI and authorized under federal anti‑terrorism asset statutes—is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office with the Justice Department’s National Security and Criminal divisions, and officials framed it as part of a whole‑of‑government effort to enforce sanctions and impose costs on Venezuela and Iran. For market participants, the action underscores elevated enforcement risk for vessels and counterparties involved in Venezuelan or Iran-linked oil trades and the ongoing U.S. push to disrupt sanction‑evasion channels in energy markets.

Analysis

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia unsealed a seizure warrant dated November 26, 2025 for the crude oil tanker M/T Skipper (IMO 9304667), and the U.S. Coast Guard boarded and seized the vessel on December 10 after it departed Venezuela. The Treasury’s OFAC had previously identified the ship (formerly Adisa) as part of an oil-shipping network supporting Hezbollah and Iran’s IRGC-QF, institutions the Department of State designates as terrorist organizations; prosecutors invoked 18 U.S.C. §§ 981, 982, 2332b(g)(5) and 2339B(a)(1) to authorize seizure. Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI and the Coast Guard executed the seizure and the case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office with the DOJ National Security and Criminal Divisions, with senior officials framing the action as part of a whole-of-government sanctions enforcement push. For markets, the action raises enforcement and counterparty risk for vessels, traders, insurers and logistics providers tied to Venezuelan or Iran-linked crude, implies higher compliance and legal costs for market participants, and creates a measurable but moderate near-term risk of localized supply disruption and price volatility (sentiment score 0.25; market impact 0.3).

Key Decisions for Investors

• Investors should immediately screen and quantify direct and indirect exposure to Venezuelan and Iran-linked oil flows, flagged vessels (e.g., IMO 9304667) and counterparties identified on OFAC lists, and consider reducing position size where exposure is material
• It may be prudent to increase short-term hedges on oil positions to guard against episodic supply removal or logistics disruption resulting from intensified seizure enforcement
• Institutional investors in shipping, marine insurance and commodity trading houses should demand enhanced compliance covenants, require vessel-level due diligence and reassess underwriting risk premiums given elevated seizure and litigation risk
• Monitor DOJ/OFAC enforcement actions and maritime seizures closely as leading indicators; pause new trade relationships with counterparties until enhanced KYC and sanctions clearance procedures are completed