Seized tanker moored in Scottish waters will be taken to the US

Yahoo ^ | Fri, January 16, 2026 at 5:21 PM EST | Ken Banks - North east Scotland reporter, Ben Philip

[piasa]

…The US has accused the Marinera of breaking its sanctions by carrying oil for Venezuela, Russia and Iran. The ship, previously known as Bella 1, was boarded while south of Iceland last week and is now in the Moray Firth while a US Coast Guard ship involved in the operation is berthed in Aberdeen.

US administration sources said the tanker would be subject to a judicial forfeiture process when it arrives in the US and any individuals involved in its attempts to flee face federal prosecution.…

…But Moscow denounced the seizure, demanding that the US treat Russians aboard properly and allow them to return to Russia quickly.

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TOPICS: Heated Discussion
KEYWORDS: aberdeen; bella1; iran; itan; maritimesecurity; oil; russianship; sanctions; scotland; shadowfleet; smuggling; tankers; uk; venezuela

[Kudsman]

Vlad needs those pawns back to send them to the Ukraine front.

[Gen.Blather]

Many of these ships are not normally allowed in Western ports because they don’t have insurance and they’re old and not safe. Bringing them to a Western port could have huge ecological and therefore political consequences. I’d say the less risky thing would be to sell the oil in a third world port and pocket the money. Also, I saw a commentator suggest the US would take legal ownership and then operate these ships with American crews. Most of the ships I’ve read about are twenty years old. They don’t have double hulls. At the very least they’re an insurance risk. Even selling them to, say, Greece would still expose the world’s oceans to a lot of potential risk.

[redfreedom]

I read the article as the tanker was “carrying oil for Venezuela, Russia and Iran.”

For Venezuela? Really? That country used to be a major oil producer. It’s just amazing what communism will do to a nation. And to think there are so many in this country that want America to devolve into another Venezuela. So sad.

[metmom]

But Moscow denounced the seizure, demanding that the US treat Russians aboard properly and allow them to return to Russia quickly.

Projection there.

The only reason they fear the Russians wouldn't be treated properly is because if the roles were reversed, we know what they would do.