Satellite Image Reveals Initial Venezuela-Linked Oil Ship Seized by American Authorities is Now Near Texas.
American personnel roped onto the vessel of the Skipper on December 10th.
Orbital data and ship tracking information has confirmed that the crude carrier named Skipper – the initial vessel seized by the United States for reportedly carrying embargoed crude from Venezuela – is now off the coast of the state of Texas.
A satellite firm's orbital photographs from 21 December indicates the ship is in the vicinity of the port of Galveston, while AIS ship-tracking data from a maritime data service presently places the vessel about 50 miles from the coast.
The Skipper was seized by American officials on 10 December and has been sanctioned by several nations. At the time it was intercepted, it was falsely flying the flag of the nation of Guyana.
This seizure was followed by the capture of a another tanker, the Centuries. This ship – in contrast to the first vessel – was not yet under official restrictions when it was taken into American control.
US authorities are now pursuing a third vessel, which has been named by the risk management group Vanguard as the Bella 1 tanker. President Donald Trump stated recently that “it will ultimately be secured”.
Writing on X, the TankerTrackers group said the Bella 1 has been “in transit for 39 days” and, at an average speed of 11 nautical miles per hour, may have “approximately a month of diesel left unless her speed drops”.
The monitoring service further stated the vessel is “likely heading south-east towards South Africa”.
