A U.S. federal court has sentenced the former master of the tanker Bella 1, later known as Marinera, to 10 months in prison after he admitted failing to comply with orders from the U.S. Coast Guard during a pursuit across the Atlantic.

Avtandil Kalandadze, a 47-year-old Georgian national, pleaded guilty in June to one count of failing to “heave to” when directed by the U.S. Coast Guard. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, he is expected to be deported after completing his prison sentence.

Kalandadze served as master of the Bella 1 from September until late December 2025. U.S. authorities said the tanker was intercepted by the Coast Guard Cutter Munro in December while the vessel was traveling toward Venezuela. The tanker did not stop as ordered and continued across the Atlantic, prompting a prolonged pursuit.

During the voyage, the vessel reportedly adopted the name Marinera and claimed Russian registration. U.S. authorities eventually seized the tanker on January 7 following the weeks-long operation.

The U.S. government also alleged that while Kalandadze was serving as master, the vessel had transported approximately 1.8 million barrels of Iranian-origin oil to Asia. Authorities further alleged that measures were used to obscure the tanker’s activities, including operating with its Automatic Identification System inactive and concealing the vessel’s identity during a ship-to-ship transfer.

The case highlights the legal responsibilities placed on ship masters when dealing with lawful maritime enforcement actions. While the wider circumstances involved sanctions enforcement and international shipping, the criminal charge against Kalandadze centered on his failure to comply with the Coast Guard’s order to stop the vessel.