Reuters. The U.S. has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, President Donald Trump said on Wednesday (December 10), ratcheting up tensions with Caracas in a move that also raised oil prices.
"We've just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela, large tanker, very large, largest one ever, actually, and other things are happening," Trump said.
Asked what would happen with the oil, Trump said: "We keep it, I guess."
The seizure could signal intensifying efforts to go after Venezuela's oil, the country's main source of revenue.
It is the first known action against an oil tanker since Trump ordered a massive U.S. military build-up in the region and carried out strikes against suspected drug vessels, operations that have raised concerns among Democratic lawmakers and legal experts.
Three U.S. officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the operation was led by the U.S. Coast Guard. They did not name the tanker, which country's flag it was flying or exactly where the interdiction took place.
British maritime risk management group Vanguard said the tanker Skipper was believed to have been seized off Venezuela early on Wednesday. The U.S. has imposed sanctions on the tanker for what Washington said was involvement in Iranian oil trading when it was called the Adisa.
The Skipper left Venezuela's main oil port of Jose between December 4 and 5 after loading Venezuela's Merey heavy crude, according to satellite info analyzed by TankerTrackers.com and PDVSA's internal shipping data.
Oil futures rose following news of the seizure. After trading in negative territory, Brent crude futures LCOc1 rose 27 cents, or 0.4%, to settle at $62.21 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures CLc1 gained 21 cents, also 0.4%, to close at $58.46 per barrel.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday spoke at a march commemorating a military battle, without addressing reports of the tanker's seizure.
