The US has decided to return a seized oil tanker belonging to Venezuela. The Panama-flagged tanker is named M/T Sophia. According to US officials, this is the first time an oil tanker seized during the Trump administration is being returned to Venezuela. The M/T Sophia was intercepted at sea by US Coast Guard and military forces on January 7, 2026. At that time, the US administration had described it as a “stateless and sanctions-violating dark fleet tanker”.
The US alleged that the ship was involved in Venezuela’s banned oil trade. The US has been cracking down on Venezuela’s oil exports for the past few months. As part of this campaign, seven oil tankers have been seized since the end of 2025. These tankers were said to be part of Venezuela’s so-called “shadow or dark fleet,” which smuggles oil to evade sanctions. However, US officials have not yet clarified why the decision was made to return the M/T Sophia.
It’s also unclear whether the ship still contains oil. This decision is being seen as a sudden shift from the US’s previously strict policy. Experts believe this move could impact US-Venezuela relations, the global oil market, and sanctions policy. Questions are also being raised about whether the US is going to soften its stance on Venezuela’s oil issue.