Imagery Data Reveals First Venezuela-Linked Oil Ship Seized by US is Currently Near the Texas Coast.
US personnel roped onto the vessel of the tanker Skipper on December 10th.
Orbital data and vessel monitoring information has confirmed that the crude carrier Skipper – the first vessel seized by the US for reportedly carrying embargoed oil from the Venezuelan regime – is currently positioned near of the state of Texas.
A satellite firm's satellite imagery dated 21 December indicates the tanker is near the port of Galveston, while Automatic Identification System vessel-tracking data from MarineTraffic currently positions the vessel about 80km from the coast.
The tanker Skipper was taken into custody by American officials on 10 December and has been sanctioned by several governments. At the time it was intercepted, it was incorrectly flying the flag of the nation of Guyana.
This seizure was followed by the interception of a another oil vessel, the Centuries tanker. It – in contrast to the first vessel – was not under sanctions when it was brought under American control.
American agencies are now targeting a third such ship, which has been identified by the maritime risk group a risk firm as the Bella 1. President Donald Trump stated recently that “we’ll end up getting it”.
Writing on X, the maritime monitoring group said the Bella 1 has been “in transit for over a month” and, at an average speed of 11 nautical miles per hour, may have “approximately a month of fuel remaining unless her velocity drops”.
The group further stated the vessel is “probably traveling south-east towards South Africa”.
