Imagery Image Reveals First Venezuelan Oil Ship Confiscated by American Authorities is Now Near the Texas Coast.
US agents roped onto the deck of the Skipper on December 10th.
Orbital data and vessel monitoring data has verified that the crude carrier Skipper – the initial vessel apprehended by the United States for allegedly carrying embargoed crude from the Venezuelan regime – is now positioned near of the state of Texas.
A satellite firm's orbital photographs from 21 December indicates the ship is near Galveston, while AIS vessel-tracking data from a maritime data service currently positions the Skipper about 80km offshore.
The tanker Skipper was seized by US authorities on 10 December and has been sanctioned by multiple governments. At the time it was seized, it was incorrectly flying the flag of the nation of Guyana.
This interception was followed by the capture of a another oil vessel, the Centuries tanker. It – in contrast to the Skipper – was not under sanctions when it was brought under American control.
American agencies are currently pursuing a third such vessel, which has been identified by the maritime risk group Vanguard as the Bella 1 tanker. The US President said yesterday that “it will ultimately be secured”.
Writing on X, the TankerTrackers group said the vessel Bella 1 has been “in transit for over a month” and, at an typical pace of 11 nautical miles per hour, may have “another 28 to 35 days of diesel remaining unless her velocity drops”.
The monitoring service added the tanker is “probably heading south-east towards South Africa”.
