Russia Uses Submarine to Protect Sanctioned Tanker from US Coast Guard
Russia has sent a submarine to safeguard an oil tanker linked to its so-called "shadow fleet" as the vessel seeks to elude the United States Coast Guard in the Atlantic Ocean. This move marks an unprecedented escalation in the ongoing standoff over illegal oil shipments, as reported by media outlets.
The tanker at the heart of this situation, previously named Bella 1 and now known as Marinera, is currently en route to Russia without cargo after an unsuccessful attempt to load crude in Venezuela. Despite its empty state, the ship remains under scrutiny as part of the U.S. campaign against vessels suspected of carrying sanctioned oil from Russia, Iran, and Venezuela.
Re-registration and Escalation at Sea
Reports indicate that the tanker’s crew thwarted a U.S. attempt to board the vessel in December. Subsequently, the ship was repainted with a Russian flag, re-registered under Russian jurisdiction, and renamed—actions that U.S. officials are examining for their legal validity.
Moscow has reportedly protested the continued pursuit and has demanded that Washington cease its efforts. The deployment of a Russian submarine to protect the tanker signifies a significant escalation and underscores the sensitivity surrounding sanctions enforcement at sea.
US Coast Guard Monitoring Continues
Data from the Automatic Identification System (AIS) indicate that a United States Coast Guard cutter continues to track Marinera in the eastern Atlantic, more than 400 km south of Iceland, as it heads towards Murmansk, a Russian port. Open-source analysts have identified the pursuing vessel as a Legend-class National Security Cutter, the largest and most heavily armed platform used by the US Coast Guard.
Officials have stated that the cutter has been shadowing the tanker for over two weeks, maintaining a cautious distance. Boarding teams are reportedly ready to act, pending political authorisation from the White House.
Legal and Diplomatic Risks
Under international maritime law, vessels suspected of fraudulent registration or lacking verified nationality can be boarded. Nonetheless, if Russia's re-registration of the tanker is considered legally valid, any forced seizure could lead to a significant diplomatic confrontation.
The tanker is reportedly owned by a Turkish company and is under U.S. sanctions for previously transporting oil on behalf of sanctioned entities. It is part of the "shadow fleet"—a network of older tankers that use flag-hopping, opaque ownership, and falsified documentation to circumvent sanctions.
Strategic Implications
The presence of a Russian submarine alongside a sanctioned tanker highlights Moscow's concerns over the economic impact of intensified sanctions enforcement and the growing risks of miscalculation at sea. For Washington, deploying top-tier Coast Guard assets reflects the priority given to curbing illicit energy trade that fuels sanctioned economies.
As the standoff unfolds in the North Atlantic, officials from both sides appear to be weighing legal authority against escalation risks, turning the voyage of a single tanker into a test case for maritime sanctions enforcement and great-power signaling.
