Imagery Data Reveals First Venezuela-Linked Tanker Seized by American Authorities is Currently Near the Texas Coast.
US agents roped onto the vessel of the tanker Skipper on December 10th.
Satellite imagery and vessel monitoring information has confirmed that the crude carrier named Skipper – the initial vessel seized by the US for reportedly carrying embargoed crude from Venezuela – is now off the coast of the state of Texas.
A satellite firm's orbital photographs dated 21 December indicates the ship is near Galveston, while Automatic Identification System ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic presently places the Skipper about 50 miles from the coast.
The tanker Skipper was taken into custody by American officials on 10 December and has been blacklisted by several governments. At the time it was intercepted, it was falsely sailing under the flag of Guyana.
This interception was succeeded by the interception of a another oil vessel, the Centuries tanker. It – in contrast to the Skipper – was not yet under official restrictions when it was brought under American control.
American agencies are currently targeting a third vessel, which has been named by the maritime risk group Vanguard as the Bella 1 tanker. The US President stated recently that “we’ll end up getting it”.
Writing on X, the maritime monitoring group noted the vessel Bella 1 has been “in transit for 39 days” and, at an average speed of 11 knots, may have “another 28 to 35 days of diesel left unless her speed drops”.
The monitoring service added the tanker is “likely traveling in a southeasterly direction towards South Africa”.