Oil tankers seized by Trump cost US millions of dollars - NYT

The campaign by the administration of US President Donald Trump to confiscate tankers carrying sanctioned oil has resulted in unexpected financial costs for the United States. The maintenance of the seized vessels has already cost the American government tens of millions of dollars. The New York Times writes about this, as reported by UNN.

Details

"As part of its fight against countries it believes are aiding terrorism, the Trump administration has been waging a campaign to seize oil tankers — a step the president has repeatedly touted as a financial boon for Americans. But there’s a problem. These seizures have put the U.S. government in a financial bind. These vessels are very expensive to maintain. And the Trump administration cannot legally sell their oil without a judge’s permission," the publication writes.

The publication notes that the maintenance of confiscated tankers has already cost the US tens of millions of dollars. A striking example is the tanker Skipper No. 9304667, which was seized in December 2025 while transporting Venezuelan oil to Asia. As of now, the US has already spent $47 million on the repair and maintenance of the vessel, whose market value is only $10 million, and $450,000 per month on oil storage, the publication writes.

It is also noted that as part of recent measures, the US has confiscated 10 tankers linked to Venezuela, although it is not yet clear how many of them they intend to keep.

Two of the vessels seized by the US were not carrying oil at the time, meaning the government will likely bear a significant portion of the high costs of their maintenance, repairs, and crew upkeep. One of these vessels is the "Bella-1," which forced American forces to conduct a long and expensive chase across the Atlantic Ocean this winter.

Despite financial losses, the White House plans to expand the campaign, particularly against tankers carrying Iranian oil, the publication writes. Trump's administration believes these steps are justified because they "hold accountable" countries that circumvent sanctions and destabilize the economies of adversaries.

Recall

The US Navy may begin escorting oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz amid attacks on shipping in the Persian Gulf.