Imagery Data Shows Initial Venezuela-Linked Oil Ship Seized by American Authorities is Currently Near Texas.
American personnel boarding the deck of the Skipper on 10 December.
Orbital data and vessel monitoring data has confirmed that the oil tanker Skipper – the first vessel apprehended by the United States for reportedly transporting sanctioned crude from the Venezuelan regime – is currently positioned near of Texas.
A satellite firm's satellite imagery from 21 December shows the tanker is in the vicinity of the port of Galveston, while AIS ship-tracking feeds from MarineTraffic currently positions the vessel about 50 miles offshore.
The tanker Skipper was taken into custody by US authorities on 10 December and has been blacklisted by several governments. When it was seized, it was incorrectly sailing under the flag of Guyana.
This interception was followed by the interception of a second tanker, the Centuries tanker. This ship – unlike the first vessel – was not under sanctions when it was brought under American control.
American agencies are currently targeting a third such vessel, which has been named by the risk management group a risk firm as the Bella 1 tanker. President Donald Trump said yesterday that “it will ultimately be secured”.
Writing on X, the TankerTrackers group noted the vessel Bella 1 has been “underway for over a month” and, at an average speed of 11 nautical miles per hour, may have “another 28 to 35 days of fuel left unless her speed decreases”.
The monitoring service further stated the vessel is “likely traveling south-east towards South Africa”.
