Satellite Image Reveals Initial Venezuela-Linked Tanker Seized by American Authorities is Currently Near Texas.
US agents boarding the deck of the tanker Skipper on December 10th.
Orbital data and ship tracking data has confirmed that the crude carrier named Skipper – the first vessel apprehended by the United States for reportedly carrying sanctioned oil from the Venezuelan regime – is now off the coast of Texas.
A satellite firm's satellite imagery from 21 December indicates the ship is in the vicinity of Galveston, while Automatic Identification System ship-tracking feeds from MarineTraffic presently positions the Skipper about 50 miles offshore.
The tanker Skipper was taken into custody by US authorities on 10 December and has been blacklisted by several nations. When it was intercepted, it was incorrectly sailing under the ensign of the nation of Guyana.
This seizure was succeeded by the capture of a second tanker, the Centuries. This ship – unlike the first vessel – was not under official restrictions when it was brought under US custody.
US authorities are now pursuing a third vessel, which has been named by the risk management group Vanguard as the Bella 1. The US President stated recently that “we’ll end up getting it”.
Writing on X, the TankerTrackers group said the Bella 1 has been “in transit for over a month” and, at an average speed of 11 knots, may have “another 28 to 35 days of diesel remaining unless her velocity drops”.
The monitoring service further stated the tanker is “likely heading south-east towards South Africa”.
