Satellite Data Reveals Initial Venezuela-Linked Tanker Confiscated by US is Currently Near Texas.
American personnel boarding the deck of the tanker Skipper on December 10th.
Satellite imagery and ship tracking data has verified that the oil tanker named Skipper – the initial vessel apprehended by the United States for reportedly transporting sanctioned oil from the Venezuelan regime – is now off the coast of the state of Texas.
A satellite firm's orbital photographs dated 21 December shows the tanker is near Galveston, while AIS vessel-tracking feeds from a maritime data service currently places the Skipper about 80km offshore.
The tanker Skipper was taken into custody by US authorities on 10 December and has been blacklisted by multiple governments. At the time it was intercepted, it was incorrectly flying the flag of Guyana.
This seizure was followed by the interception of a second oil vessel, the Centuries tanker. It – unlike the first vessel – was not yet under official restrictions when it was brought under American control.
American agencies are currently targeting a third such ship, which has been named by the maritime risk group a risk firm as the Bella 1. The US President said recently that “it will ultimately be secured”.
Writing on X, the TankerTrackers group noted the vessel Bella 1 has been “underway for over a month” and, at an average speed of 11 knots, may have “another 28 to 35 days of fuel remaining unless her speed drops”.
The monitoring service added the tanker is “probably traveling south-east towards South Africa”.
