Russia sends submarine to accompany shadow fleet tanker evading US Coast Guard – WSJ

Russia has deployed a submarine and other warships to protect an empty oil tanker that is attempting to evade the US Coast Guard in the Atlantic Ocean.

Source: The Wall Street Journal

Details: Sources told the WSJ that the vessel in question is a tanker formerly known as Bella 1. The ship reportedly failed to enter Venezuelan ports to load oil and is currently empty. Despite the lack of cargo, the US Coast Guard began pursuing the tanker in the Atlantic as part of a broader campaign to identify and seize the so-called shadow fleet that transports illicit oil worldwide, particularly Russian black-market exports.

US officials told the journalists that in December, the tanker's crew repelled an attempt by the US Coast Guard to board the vessel. After that, the ship headed into the open ocean, crudely painted a Russian flag on its hull, changed its registration to Russia and is now sailing under the name Marinera.

Quote from the WSJ: "Russia has been concerned by US seizures of tankers that ferry its illicit oil around the world and power its economy, and it has made the unusual move of allowing the tanker to register in Russia without an inspection or other formalities, experts say."

Details: Three US officials confirmed that Russia has demanded that the United States stop pursuing the vessel. Russia's Foreign Ministry said via state-run media that it was following the situation with concern.

According to the Automatic Identification System (AIS), the US Coast Guard continues to shadow the vessel in the eastern Atlantic. The tanker is currently about 480 km south of Iceland and is heading towards the North Sea and the Russian port of Murmansk.

Background:

• A US court issued a warrant for the seizure of Bella 1 for transporting Iranian oil, the proceeds of which, Washington said, are used to finance terrorist groups, particularly Hezbollah, Yemen's Houthis and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
• On 31 December, the US Coast Guard suspended its operation to seize the sanctioned tanker after a crudely painted Russian flag appeared on the ship's hull.
• The US military has said it is prepared to storm the vessel and is awaiting orders from the White House.

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