Imagery Image Shows First Venezuela-Linked Tanker Confiscated by American Authorities is Now Off the Texas Coast.
US personnel roped onto the vessel of the Skipper on 10 December.
Orbital data and vessel monitoring 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 positioned near of Texas.
Vantor satellite imagery dated 21 December indicates the tanker is in the vicinity of Galveston, while AIS vessel-tracking feeds from MarineTraffic presently positions the Skipper about 80km offshore.
The tanker Skipper was seized by American officials on 10 December and has been sanctioned by multiple nations. When it was intercepted, it was falsely sailing under the flag of the nation of Guyana.
This interception was followed by the interception of a second tanker, the Centuries. It – unlike the first vessel – was not under official restrictions when it was brought under American control.
US authorities are now pursuing a third such ship, which has been identified by the risk management group Vanguard as the Bella 1. The US President said yesterday that “it will ultimately be secured”.
Writing on the social media platform 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 fuel remaining unless her velocity drops”.
The group further stated the tanker is “probably heading in a southeasterly direction towards the South African coast”.
