Satellite Image Reveals Initial Venezuela-Linked Tanker Seized by US is Currently Near Texas.
American agents boarding 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 reportedly transporting sanctioned crude from Venezuela – is now off the coast of the state of Texas.
A satellite firm's orbital photographs from 21 December shows the tanker is in the vicinity of Galveston, while Automatic Identification System ship-tracking feeds from a maritime data service currently places the vessel about 80km offshore.
The tanker Skipper was taken into custody by American officials on 10 December and has been sanctioned by multiple governments. At the time it was seized, it was falsely flying the flag of Guyana.
This seizure was followed by the interception of a another tanker, the Centuries tanker. This ship – in contrast to the first vessel – was not yet under sanctions when it was taken into American control.
US authorities are currently targeting a third such ship, which has been named by the risk management group Vanguard as the Bella 1 tanker. The US President said recently that “it will ultimately be secured”.
Writing on X, the maritime monitoring group said the vessel Bella 1 has been “in transit for 39 days” and, at an typical pace of 11 knots, may have “another 28 to 35 days of fuel left unless her speed decreases”.
The group further stated the vessel is “likely heading south-east towards the South African coast”.
