Satellite Data Reveals Initial Venezuela-Linked Oil Ship Seized by US is Currently Near Texas.
US agents roped onto the vessel of the tanker Skipper on December 10th.
Satellite imagery and vessel monitoring data has verified that the oil tanker Skipper – the initial vessel apprehended by the United States for reportedly transporting sanctioned oil from Venezuela – is now off the coast of the state of Texas.
A satellite firm's satellite imagery dated 21 December shows the tanker is in the vicinity of Galveston, while AIS vessel-tracking data from a maritime data service 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 blacklisted by several governments. At the time it was intercepted, it was falsely flying the ensign of Guyana.
This interception was followed by the interception of a another tanker, the Centuries. This ship – unlike the Skipper – was not yet under sanctions when it was taken into American control.
US authorities are now targeting a third such vessel, which has been named by the maritime risk group Vanguard as the Bella 1. President Donald Trump stated recently that “it will ultimately be secured”.
Writing on the social media platform X, the TankerTrackers group noted the vessel Bella 1 has been “underway for 39 days” and, at an average speed of 11 knots, may have “approximately a month of fuel remaining unless her speed drops”.
The monitoring service added the tanker is “likely traveling south-east towards the South African coast”.
