Video here and above, uploaded by SkyNews on Jan 8, 2026. The United States European Command has confirmed it
has "seized" the Marinera oil tanker for violating US sanctions. It
comes after the White House suggested US military action in Greenland is
"always an option"
---
The flag status of the tanker in question, Bella 1-Marinera is highly questionable under international law.
Anonymous
advised 1/07/2026 11:29 PM
“[1.] According to international law, UNCLOS article 92 in this case, a
ship cannot change flag on the move. So much about Kremlin and international
law.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Convention_on_the_Law_of_the_Sea#Parties
https://www.un.org/depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/unclos_e.pdf
Kremlin may
have registered the ship but in case the ship is still in its former register
then the second paragraph is important.
[Pete Comment
Anonymous please note the US, in its exceptionalism, is NOT
PARTY to UNCLOS. See first paragraph of the wiki site https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Convention_on_the_Law_of_the_Sea
:
"As of October 2024, 169 sovereign
states and the European Union are parties,[4] including all major powers except
the United States."
Give the above I'll leave it to you to argue US righteousness. I think might over right appeals to Trump more.
Also see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_and_the_United_Nations_Convention_on_the_Law_of_the_Sea ]
2. A ship which sails under the flags of two or more States, using
them
according to
convenience, may not claim any of the nationalities in question
with respect
to any other State, and may be assimilated to a ship without
nationality.
Without a
flag state any country has the right to stop the ship. Article 90."
Pete Comment
Of course 2025 has shown mighty (nuclear weapon
owning) nations, like China, Russia, the US and Israel define or ignore
international law at will. The flag
status of the tanker in question, Bella 1-Marinera is highly questionable under
international law.
All those highly trained US naval and air mobile forces involved in Operation Marinera can also threaten or frighten Greenland - perhaps morphing into an invasion force.]
For background on Bella 1 - Marinera see
On Dec
12, 2025, before the US invasion of Venezuela, SkyNew's data and economics editor Ed Conway provided an excellent explanation (video above) of the oil industry dynamics driving US actions.
---
7 comments:
According to internaltional law, UNCLOS article 92 in this case, a ship cannot change flag on the move. So much about Kremlin and international law.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Convention_on_the_Law_of_the_Sea#Parties
https://www.un.org/depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/unclos_e.pdf
Kremlin may have registered the ship but in case the ship is still in its former register then the second paragraph is important.
2. A ship which sails under the flags of two or more States, using them
according to convenience, may not claim any of the nationalities in question
with respect to any other State, and may be assimilated to a ship without
nationality.
Without a flag state any country has the right to stop the ship. Article 90.
Thanks Pete. If Trump tries to annex Greenland by force, or even tries to buy it using coercive means, I don't see how NATO can survive as an effective force.
This would raise serious questions for Australia for both ANZUS and Five Eyes, and of course AUKUS. What are they worth if USA is solely transactional? Not much I'd say. Same with USA's "nuclear umbrella".
I repeat my previous view that Australia should shift to building a more powerful but independent defense force of its own, focused on local defense, as per Sam Roggaveen's "Echidna Strategy". Build missiles locally.
Pete this is a fast developing story. Looks like USA has already seized the tankers.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01-08/us-intercepts-bella-1-venezuelan-oil-tanker-russia-sub/106208100
Finland also seized a Russian freighter in the Baltic suspected of damaging undersea cables.
https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/finland-seizes-ship-sailing-from-russia-after-suspected-cable-sabotage-in-baltic-sea
Hi Anonymous at 1/07/2026 11:29 PM
Thanks for your legal explanations and links - which I've incorporated into the revised text.
But please note the US, in its exceptionalism, is NOT PARTY to UNCLOS. See fist paragraph of wiki site https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Convention_on_the_Law_of_the_Sea :
"As of October 2024, 169 sovereign states and the European Union are parties,[4] including all major powers except the United States."
Give the above I'll leave it to you to argue US righteousness. I think might over right appeals to Trump more.
Regards Pete
Hi Anonymous at 1/08/2026 10:54 AM
I agree with your Greenland-NATO points. I'm amazed that American's have been taken in by the Trump huckster at two elections.
Trump claimed to be America First and with it to avoid foreign entanglements. Since then he's backed Israel's many aggressions, bombed Iran and invaded Venezuela.
I'm waiting for the mid-term election results, in Nov 2026, to isolate and weaken Trump.
I've long argued Australia should develop a long range (ICBM) missile capability - see https://gentleseas.blogspot.com/search?q=gilmour
I think Trump will demand higher prepayments from Australia for AUKUS subs - then he, JD Vance or even a Democratic President will renege in 2031.
Regards Pete
Hi Anonymous at 1/08/2026 11:09 AM
Thanks for the 2 links.
Trump and Hegseth are invading and seizing so fast the American people, Congress and the Supreme Court have given up using American laws and customs to slow Trump-Heg down or to respect democracy.
Regards Pete
Hi Pete,
Invading Venezuela won’t stop the major ‘issue’ Trump sees from that country - he thinks getting access to the oil fields will solve everything.
The drug cartels are well funded (mainly American money) and as shown in Mexico, nasty and tenacious. When US troops/security get on the ground the whole area is going to explode with drone attacks.
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