Satellite Image Reveals Initial Venezuela-Linked Tanker Confiscated by American Authorities is Now Near Texas.
US personnel roped onto the deck of the tanker Skipper on 10 December.
Orbital data and ship tracking information has verified that the crude carrier Skipper – the initial vessel apprehended by the United States for reportedly transporting sanctioned crude from the Venezuelan regime – is now positioned near of Texas.
A satellite firm's satellite imagery dated 21 December shows the tanker is near the port of Galveston, while AIS ship-tracking feeds from a maritime data service presently places the vessel about 50 miles offshore.
The tanker Skipper was taken into custody by American officials on the tenth of December and has been sanctioned by multiple governments. At the time it was seized, it was falsely sailing under the flag of the nation of Guyana.
This seizure was followed by the capture of a another oil vessel, the Centuries tanker. This ship – unlike the Skipper – was not under official restrictions when it was brought under American control.
American agencies are now pursuing a third such vessel, which has been identified by the maritime risk group Vanguard as the Bella 1. The US President stated recently that “we’ll end up getting it”.
Writing on X, the maritime monitoring group said the vessel Bella 1 has been “underway for 39 days” and, at an typical pace of 11 knots, may have “approximately a month of fuel left unless her speed decreases”.
The monitoring service further stated the vessel is “probably heading in a southeasterly direction towards the South African coast”.