US sells seized Venezuelan oil tankers for scrap

The United States government has recently sold two sanctioned oil tankers that were seized following the country's military action in Venezuela, according to a report by Lloyd's List. The vessel recycling firm Global Marketing Systems (GMS), based in Dubai, acquired the tankers last month for an undisclosed amount, the report added.

The two ships, namely the Era and the Lileo, will be dismantled in scrap yards in India. GMS CEO Anil Sharma stated that the sale was authorized by a court order, but acknowledged the complexities, including the uncertainty about the tankers' previous ownership. The Era was seized by US Coast Guard and military special forces in January in waters off Iceland after a weeks-long pursuit.

The vessel was Russian-flagged and had reportedly transported sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran. The Lileo, previously sailing as Galileo and Veronica, was also seized by the US in January in the Caribbean Sea under sanctions against Russia. The US seized up to 10 oil tankers in total after its military intervention in Venezuela. Sanctioned vessels often alter their names to avoid detection.