Imagery Data Shows First Venezuela-Linked Tanker Confiscated by American Authorities is Now Off Texas.
US personnel roped onto the deck of the Skipper on December 10th.
Orbital data and ship tracking information has confirmed that the crude carrier Skipper – the initial vessel seized by the United States for allegedly carrying sanctioned oil from the Venezuelan regime – is now off the coast of the state of Texas.
Vantor orbital photographs dated 21 December shows the tanker is in the vicinity of the port of Galveston, while AIS ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic currently positions the vessel about 80km offshore.
The Skipper was taken into custody by US authorities on the tenth of December and has been sanctioned by multiple governments. When it was intercepted, it was incorrectly flying the flag of Guyana.
This interception was succeeded by the capture of a second oil vessel, the Centuries. This ship – unlike the Skipper – was not yet under official restrictions when it was brought under American control.
US authorities are now pursuing a third ship, which has been identified by the maritime risk group a risk firm as the Bella 1 tanker. The US President said yesterday that “it will ultimately be secured”.
Writing on the social media platform X, the maritime monitoring group said the vessel Bella 1 has been “in transit for over a month” and, at an typical pace of 11 knots, may have “approximately a month of diesel remaining unless her speed drops”.
The group further stated the tanker is “probably traveling south-east towards the South African coast”.
