Satellite Data Reveals First Venezuela-Linked Tanker Confiscated by American Authorities is Now Off Texas.
US agents roped onto the deck of the tanker Skipper on 10 December.
Satellite imagery and ship tracking data has confirmed that the oil tanker named Skipper – the initial vessel seized by the US for allegedly carrying embargoed crude from Venezuela – is currently positioned near of the state of Texas.
A satellite firm's satellite imagery from 21 December shows the tanker is in the vicinity of Galveston, while AIS vessel-tracking feeds from MarineTraffic presently positions the Skipper about 50 miles offshore.
The tanker Skipper was taken into custody by American officials on the tenth of December and has been sanctioned by multiple nations. At the time it was seized, it was incorrectly sailing under the flag of the nation of Guyana.
This seizure was followed by the interception of a second oil vessel, the Centuries tanker. This ship – in contrast to the first vessel – was not yet under official restrictions when it was taken into US custody.
US authorities are currently pursuing a third such ship, which has been named by the risk management group Vanguard as the Bella 1 tanker. The US President stated recently that “it will ultimately be secured”.
Writing on X, the maritime monitoring group noted the Bella 1 has been “in transit for over a month” and, at an average speed of 11 knots, may have “approximately a month of diesel remaining unless her velocity decreases”.
The group added the vessel is “probably traveling south-east towards the South African coast”.
