Satellite Image Reveals Initial Venezuela-Linked Oil Ship Confiscated by American Authorities is Currently Near Texas.
US agents roped onto the deck of the Skipper on December 10th.
Orbital data and ship tracking information has confirmed that the oil tanker Skipper – the first vessel seized by the US for allegedly transporting embargoed crude from the Venezuelan regime – is now positioned near of Texas.
A satellite firm's orbital photographs dated 21 December indicates the tanker is in the vicinity of the port of Galveston, while Automatic Identification System ship-tracking data from a maritime data service presently places the vessel about 80km offshore.
The Skipper was seized by US authorities on 10 December and has been sanctioned by several nations. At the time it was intercepted, it was falsely flying the flag of the nation of Guyana.
This interception was followed by the capture of a second oil vessel, the Centuries. It – unlike the Skipper – was not under sanctions when it was brought under American control.
American agencies are currently targeting a third such ship, which has been named by the maritime risk group Vanguard as the Bella 1. President Donald Trump stated yesterday that “it will ultimately be secured”.
Writing on the social media platform X, the TankerTrackers group said the vessel Bella 1 has been “underway for 39 days” and, at an typical pace of 11 knots, may have “another 28 to 35 days of diesel left unless her velocity decreases”.
The monitoring service added the vessel is “likely heading in a southeasterly direction towards South Africa”.
