Imagery Image Shows First Venezuela-Linked Tanker Confiscated by American Authorities is Now Near the Texas Coast.
American agents boarding the vessel of the tanker Skipper on December 10th.
Orbital data and vessel monitoring information has verified that the crude carrier named Skipper – the initial vessel seized by the US for reportedly carrying sanctioned oil from the Venezuelan regime – is currently off the coast of Texas.
A satellite firm's satellite imagery dated 21 December indicates the tanker is near the port of Galveston, while AIS ship-tracking feeds from MarineTraffic presently positions the Skipper about 50 miles offshore.
The Skipper was taken into custody by US authorities on the tenth of December and has been sanctioned by several governments. At the time it was intercepted, it was falsely sailing under the flag of the nation of Guyana.
This interception was succeeded by the capture of a another oil vessel, the Centuries tanker. This ship – in contrast to the Skipper – was not under official restrictions when it was brought under American control.
US authorities are now pursuing a third such ship, which has been named by the maritime risk group Vanguard as the Bella 1. President Donald Trump said yesterday that “we’ll end up getting it”.
Writing on X, the maritime monitoring group said the Bella 1 has been “underway for over a month” and, at an typical pace of 11 knots, may have “another 28 to 35 days of fuel remaining unless her speed drops”.
The monitoring service further stated the tanker is “probably traveling in a southeasterly direction towards the South African coast”.
