Satellite Image Reveals First Venezuela-Linked Oil Ship Confiscated by American Authorities is Now Near Texas.
American personnel boarding the vessel of the Skipper on 10 December.
Satellite imagery and vessel monitoring information has confirmed that the oil tanker named Skipper – the first vessel apprehended by the United States for reportedly carrying sanctioned crude from the Venezuelan regime – is now off the coast of the state of Texas.
A satellite firm's satellite imagery dated 21 December shows the ship is near Galveston, while Automatic Identification System vessel-tracking feeds from a maritime data service currently places the vessel about 80km offshore.
The Skipper was taken into custody by American officials on the tenth of December and has been blacklisted by multiple governments. When it was intercepted, it was falsely sailing under the ensign of the nation of Guyana.
This seizure was succeeded by the interception of a another tanker, the Centuries tanker. This ship – in contrast to the first vessel – was not yet under official restrictions when it was taken into US custody.
US authorities are currently pursuing a third vessel, which has been named by the risk management group a risk firm as the Bella 1 tanker. 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 39 days” and, at an typical pace of 11 nautical miles per hour, may have “another 28 to 35 days of diesel remaining unless her speed drops”.
The group further stated the vessel is “likely traveling in a southeasterly direction towards South Africa”.
