Imagery Image Shows First Venezuela-Linked Tanker Seized by American Authorities is Currently Near the Texas Coast.
American agents boarding the deck of the tanker Skipper on 10 December.
Orbital data and ship tracking information has verified that the oil tanker named Skipper – the first vessel seized by the United States for allegedly carrying embargoed crude from the Venezuelan regime – is currently off the coast of the state of Texas.
A satellite firm's orbital photographs from 21 December indicates the tanker is near the port of Galveston, while Automatic Identification System ship-tracking feeds from a maritime data service currently places the Skipper about 50 miles offshore.
The tanker Skipper was taken into custody by American officials on the tenth of December and has been sanctioned by several governments. When it was intercepted, it was falsely 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 US custody.
US authorities are currently pursuing a third such ship, which has been named by the risk management group Vanguard as the Bella 1. President Donald Trump stated recently that “it will ultimately be secured”.
Writing on X, the maritime monitoring group noted the vessel 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 speed decreases”.
The monitoring service further stated the vessel is “likely heading in a southeasterly direction towards the South African coast”.
