Pentagon seizes another sanctioned oil tanker

US military forces have detained the sanctioned oil tanker Bertha in the Indian Ocean, the Pentagon said on Tuesday, describing it as the third such operation in recent weeks.

According to Washington, the tanker violated sanctions related to Iran and attempted to evade restrictions imposed on sanctioned vessels.

The Bertha sails under the flag of the Cook Islands and is linked to Shanghai Legendary Ship Management Company Limited. According to the US Treasury, it was included in sanctions imposed in January 2020. Data from the MarineTraffic portal show that the vessel’s last known position was on 24 February in the Indian Ocean near the Maldives.

The Pentagon said the operation was carried out without incident. No details about the crew or any further action have been released.

Earlier this month, US forces took action against the tanker Aquila II, and in January they seized the Marinera, a vessel linked to Venezuela. With this move, Washington continues to enforce sanctions against countries it considers to be in breach of international rules.

(reuters, max)