A massive Russian-flagged oil tanker called the Marinera was seized by US forces while sailing in the Atlantic Ocean. The ship, nearly 300 meters long, was followed for days by US and British surveillance before being boarded. Although it was not carrying oil, the tanker is suspected of hiding high-value cargo, possibly weapons. Marinera is part of Russia's so-called "ghost" fleet, used to evade western sanctions and transport goods like cheap fuel globally, including to China. The ship changed names and flags recently, painting the Russian flag on its hull last month. This move angered Moscow, which protested the US seizure. The Marinera had previously avoided US blockades near Venezuela, a hotspot for sanctioned tankers. The US treasury has sanctioned the ship since June 2024 for allegedly carrying illegal cargo for Hezbollah. Experts say Russia reflagging the ship aimed to protect it from US boarding. But US forces still took control, showing Washington’s willingness to enforce sanctions strongly. Washington had also recently arrested Venezuela’s president Nicolás Maduro and his wife, further straining relations with Moscow, which supports Venezuela. Russia sent a submarine and naval ships to escort the tanker before the seizure, signaling the deal’s seriousness. US surveillance planes, including a British RAF spy plane, monitored the tanker’s route closely. Analysts wonder if the ship was carrying Russian arms. John Foreman, former UK defense attaché to Moscow, said the huge military preparation around the seizure raised questions: "Why have the US put all these assets into the UK just for some oil tanker? Could it be Russian arms going to Venezuela?" The tanker’s boarding marks a bold move in the growing power struggle between Washington and Moscow on the high seas.