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[INTERNATIONAL] · United States, Venezuela, Russia, United Arab Emirates, India · 15 sources

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US sells two sanctioned oil tankers for scrap

The United States government has sold two sanctioned oil tankers for scrap following their seizure during a military raid on Venezuela. The vessels, identified as the Era (formerly Marinera and Bella 1) and the Lileo (formerly Galileo and Veronica), were purchased by Global Marketing Systems (GMS), a vessel recycling firm based in Dubai, for an undisclosed amount.

The tankers are scheduled to be demolished at scrap yards in India. GMS CEO Anil Sharma noted that while a court order authorized the sale, complexities remain regarding the identification of previous owners.

The Era, a Russian-flagged vessel, was seized by the U.S. Coast Guard and military special forces in January in waters south of Iceland after a pursuit across the Atlantic. Authorities stated the vessel had been used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran, having previously evaded a U.S. blockade in the Caribbean. The Lileo, also Russian-flagged, was seized in the Caribbean Sea in January and was subject to U.S. sanctions against Russia. The seizures are part of a broader effort in which the U.S. has taken as many as 10 oil tankers following its military actions in Venezuela.

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Anil Sharma · Era · Global Marketing Systems · Lileo · United States government

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