Ken Banks,North east Scotland reporterand
Ben Philip
Reuters
The tanker has been in the Moray Firth with its US Coast Guard escort
A Russian-flagged oil tanker seized by the US in the north Atlantic and currently moored in Scottish waters is to be taken to the United States, BBC Scotland understands.
The US has accused the Marinera of breaking its sanctions by carrying oil for Venezuela, Russia and Iran.
The ship, previously known as Bella 1, was boarded while south of Iceland last week and is now in the Moray Firth while a US Coast Guard ship involved in the operation is berthed in Aberdeen.
US administration sources said the tanker would be subject to a judicial forfeiture process when it arrives in the US and any individuals involved in its attempts to flee face federal prosecution.
The UK government has backed the operation to seize the Marinera, saying it was lawful action against a vessel involved in breaking sanctions.
The Ministry of Defence provided operational support and US planes used UK airfields including some in Scotland.
But Moscow denounced the seizure, demanding that the US treat Russians aboard properly and allow them to return to Russia quickly.
The Russian transport ministry said it had given the vessel “temporary permission” to use the Russian flag, adding that no state had the right to use force against vessels properly registered in other states’ jurisdictions.
A US vessel involved in the operation was seen in Aberdeen on Friday
Earlier this week, Scotland’s first minister said he was “deeply concerned” to learn from media reports that the tanker seized by the US was in the Moray Firth.
John Swinney said he would have expected to have been told in advance about steps to accommodate the ship in the firth.
The UK government said on Tuesday that it had entered UK waters to take on fresh supplies.
The Coast Guard ship is dwarfed by offshore industry infrastructure in Aberdeen
It is understood US military aircraft landed at small civilian airports in Wick, Caithness, and Benbecula in the Western Isles during the operation on 7 January.
The MoD did confirm at the time that the Royal Navy tanker RFA Tideforce and RAF surveillance aircraft were supporting American personnel and that “deterring, disrupting and degrading” Russia’s “shadow fleet” was a priority.
The Marinera has been in the firth off Burghead, a village on the Moray coast.
The Moray Firth is a sheltered area of sea between the east Highland coast and the coasts of Moray and Aberdeenshire.