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US Seizes Tanker to Disrupt Ghost Ship Oil Network

12/17/2025

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Story summary
  • The United States seized the tanker Skipper on December 10 to disrupt a network of about 1,000 'ghost ships' moving oil from Venezuela, Russia, and Iran.
  • The clandestine fleet changes names and disables tracking devices to conceal shipments.
  • U.S. President Donald Trump says the action signals a broader effort to cut oil revenues for Moscow, Tehran, and Caracas.
  • China remains a major importer of Iranian and Russian oil, complicating U.S. enforcement.