U.S. Forces Board Sanctioned Tanker Bertha in Indian Ocean and Capture Three Fleeing Boats Following Trans-Ocean Pursuit
The Bertha (IMO 9292163) is a large crude oil tanker managed by Shanghai Legendary Ship Management Company Limited.
CARIBBEAN TO INDIAN OCEAN — U.S. forces conducted a right-of-visit, maritime interdiction and boarding of the sanctioned crude oil tanker Bertha without incident in the INDOPACOM area of responsibility.
The vessel operated in defiance of President Trump’s established quarantine on sanctioned vessels linked to Venezuelan oil exports and attempted to evade after departing Caribbean waters. This boarding continues the campaign against shadow fleet vessels transporting illicit Venezuelan and Iranian oil.
Vessel Profile
The Bertha (IMO 9292163) is a large crude oil tanker managed by Shanghai Legendary Ship Management Company Limited. It was previously flagged to the Cook Islands, with registration canceled on November 25, 2024.
The vessel continued transmitting Cook Islands identifiers and has been subject to U.S. sanctions since December 3, 2024, for its role in transporting illicit Iranian petroleum. It was one of 16 tankers that attempted to break through a U.S. naval blockade on January 3, and was the last remaining oil-laden vessel from that group.
Assessment: The vessel’s sanctions history and continued operation under de-registered identifiers illustrate common evasion tactics employed by shadow fleet operators. Tracking such vessels across ocean basins requires sustained intelligence and naval resources, raising the operational costs and risks for participants in these networks. This pattern forces operators to accept higher insurance premiums and limited crewing options, with observable effects in reduced vessel availability across tracked routes.
Interdiction Operation
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