Imagery Image Shows Initial Venezuelan Tanker Seized by American Authorities is Currently Off Texas.
American personnel boarding the deck of the Skipper on 10 December.
Satellite imagery and vessel monitoring information has verified that the crude carrier named Skipper – the initial vessel seized by the US for reportedly carrying sanctioned oil from the Venezuelan regime – is now positioned near of Texas.
A satellite firm's orbital photographs from 21 December shows the ship is in the vicinity of the port of Galveston, while AIS vessel-tracking data from a maritime data service presently positions the Skipper about 50 miles offshore.
The Skipper was taken into custody by American officials on 10 December and has been sanctioned by several governments. When it was seized, it was falsely sailing under the flag of the nation of Guyana.
This seizure was succeeded by the interception of a second oil vessel, the Centuries. This ship – unlike the first vessel – was not under sanctions when it was taken into US custody.
US authorities are now targeting a third such ship, which has been named by the maritime risk group a risk firm as the Bella 1 tanker. President Donald Trump said yesterday that “it will ultimately be secured”.
Writing on the social media platform X, the TankerTrackers group said the vessel Bella 1 has been “in transit for over a month” and, at an typical pace of 11 knots, may have “another 28 to 35 days of fuel remaining unless her speed drops”.
The group further stated the tanker is “probably heading in a southeasterly direction towards South Africa”.
