Imagery Data Shows Initial Venezuela-Linked Tanker Confiscated by US is Currently Near Texas.
US agents roped onto the deck of the Skipper on December 10th.
Satellite imagery and ship tracking data has verified that the oil tanker Skipper – the first vessel seized by the US for reportedly carrying sanctioned oil from Venezuela – is now positioned near of the state of Texas.
A satellite firm's satellite imagery dated 21 December shows the tanker is near Galveston, while AIS vessel-tracking data from a maritime data service currently positions the vessel about 80km offshore.
The Skipper was taken into custody by American officials on the tenth of December and has been sanctioned by several governments. At the time it was seized, it was falsely sailing under the flag of Guyana.
This seizure was succeeded by the interception of a second oil vessel, the Centuries. This ship – unlike the Skipper – was not yet under sanctions when it was taken into US custody.
American agencies are now targeting a third ship, which has been identified by the maritime risk group a risk firm as the Bella 1. President Donald Trump said recently that “we’ll end up getting it”.
Writing on the social media platform X, the TankerTrackers group said the vessel Bella 1 has been “underway for 39 days” and, at an average speed of 11 knots, may have “another 28 to 35 days of diesel left unless her speed decreases”.
The monitoring service further stated the vessel is “probably heading in a southeasterly direction towards South Africa”.
