U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Returns Home After Escorting Two Seized Tankers

Mohawk with the tanker Veronica, also known as Galileo (USCG)

The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Mohawk has completed a rare mission. On Saturday, the cutter returned to her home port in Key West after spending 60 days in U.S. Southern Command, where the crew had the opportunity to escort two seized, sanctioned oil tankers into U.S. custody.

"Our dedicated crews are the frontline of maritime security," said Cmdr. Taylor Kellogg, commanding officer of Mohawk. "Their vigilance and expertise were instrumental in the successful interdiction and escort of these tankers, preventing illicit oil [profits] from destabilizing the Western Hemisphere. This is a clear demonstration of the Coast Guard’s commitment to enforcing international law."

The action started with the capture of the tanker Centuries. With support from the other armed services, and permission from the flag state, a Coast Guard tactical team boarded the vessel on December 20 and took control. After the boarding, Mohawk provided an escort for Centuries throughout her transit to the anchorage off Galveston, where the VLCC remains.

Mohawk got a second call shortly after. On January 15, a combined force boarded the Aframax tanker Veronica (Galileo, IMO 9256860) and captured the vessel. Mohawk was tasked with providing an escort once again, and got under way for the Caribbean promptly. Taking over from the boarding team, Mohawk watched over Veronica as the tanker transited to an anchorage off Puerto Rico. Taken together, according to the Coast Guard, the two transits took 17 days and 2,700 nautical miles.

To date, the Coast Guard has contributed to nine tanker boardings in the Caribbean, Atlantic and Indian Ocean, some resulting in vessel capture and others ending in a return to trading.