US Seizes Second Tanker Off Venezuela; China-Linked Vessel “Centuries” Detained

Tensions in the Caribbean reached a boiling point on Saturday as U.S. officials confirmed to Bloomberg that federal forces have seized a second oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela. The vessel, identified as the Centuries, was intercepted in international waters just days after President Donald Trump ordered a “total and complete blockade” of the sanctioned South American nation.
According to the report, the operation took place late Friday night or early Saturday morning. While the Centuries flies a Panamanian flag, U.S. intelligence sources revealed that the vessel is Chinese-owned and was carrying approximately two million barrels of Venezuelan crude oil destined for Asian markets. This marks a significant escalation in Washington’s pressure campaign, as it directly implicates Beijing, the primary buyer of Venezuelan oil and a key economic lifeline for the Maduro regime.
The seizure comes less than two weeks after the U.S. confiscated the Skipper, a supertanker that was also transporting sanctioned crude. However, unlike the forceful raid on the Skipper, officials described the Centuries incident as a “consented boarding.” The captain reportedly complied with orders from the U.S. Coast Guard, which is operating with support from the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group currently deployed in the region.
“This is the blockade in action,” a senior administration official told Bloomberg. “We warned the world that the era of looking the other way is over. If you are carrying Maduro’s stolen oil, you will lose your ship and your cargo.”
The incident has sent shockwaves through the global energy market and geopolitical circles. The “dark fleet”—a shadow armada of aging tankers used to skirt sanctions—is reportedly in disarray, with tracking data showing dozens of vessels abruptly rerouting toward the Indian Ocean to avoid the U.S. naval dragnet.
The focus now shifts to Beijing. While China has previously criticized U.S. sanctions as “unilateral and illegal,” the physical seizure of Chinese-owned property on the high seas represents a direct confrontation. Analysts warn that this move could trigger a diplomatic crisis or retaliatory measures in the South China Sea. Meanwhile, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has yet to issue a statement, though his military command has previously threatened to escort tankers with naval assets—a move that could spark open conflict with the massive U.S. armada sitting just over the horizon.