Imagery Data Shows First Venezuela-Linked Tanker Seized by American Authorities is Currently Near the Texas Coast.
American agents boarding the deck of the tanker Skipper on December 10th.
Orbital data and ship tracking information has verified that the crude carrier named Skipper – the first vessel apprehended by the US for allegedly carrying embargoed crude from Venezuela – is now positioned near of Texas.
A satellite firm's orbital photographs from 21 December shows the ship is near Galveston, while AIS ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic presently positions the Skipper about 80km offshore.
The Skipper was seized by American officials on the tenth of December and has been blacklisted by multiple nations. When it was intercepted, it was incorrectly flying the ensign of the nation of Guyana.
This interception was succeeded by the capture of a another oil vessel, the Centuries. This ship – in contrast to the first vessel – was not yet under sanctions when it was brought under US custody.
American agencies are currently targeting a third vessel, which has been named by the maritime risk group Vanguard as the Bella 1 tanker. President Donald Trump stated recently that “we’ll end up getting it”.
Writing on the social media platform X, the TankerTrackers group noted 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 fuel left unless her velocity decreases”.
The group added the tanker is “likely heading in a southeasterly direction towards South Africa”.