Imagery Image Shows First Venezuelan Tanker Confiscated by American Authorities is Now Near the Texas Coast.
American agents roped onto the deck of the tanker Skipper on 10 December.
Satellite imagery and ship tracking data has verified that the crude carrier Skipper – the first vessel seized by the United States for reportedly transporting embargoed crude from the Venezuelan regime – is currently off the coast of the state of Texas.
A satellite firm's orbital photographs dated 21 December indicates the tanker is near the port of Galveston, while AIS vessel-tracking feeds from a maritime data service currently positions the Skipper about 80km from the coast.
The tanker Skipper was seized by American officials on 10 December and has been sanctioned by multiple governments. At the time it was intercepted, it was incorrectly sailing under the ensign of the nation of Guyana.
This interception was followed by the interception of a second oil vessel, the Centuries tanker. It – in contrast to the Skipper – 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 tanker. The US President stated recently that “we’ll end up getting it”.
Writing on X, the TankerTrackers group noted the Bella 1 has been “in transit for over a month” and, at an typical pace of 11 nautical miles per hour, may have “approximately a month of fuel left unless her speed drops”.
The group added the vessel is “likely traveling south-east towards South Africa”.
