Imagery Data Reveals First Venezuelan Tanker Seized by American Authorities is Now Off Texas.
American agents boarding the vessel of the Skipper on 10 December.
Satellite imagery and ship tracking information has confirmed that the crude carrier Skipper – the first vessel apprehended by the United States for allegedly transporting embargoed oil from Venezuela – is currently positioned near of Texas.
A satellite firm's orbital photographs dated 21 December shows the tanker is near Galveston, while Automatic Identification System ship-tracking feeds from a maritime data service presently places the Skipper about 80km from the coast.
The Skipper was seized by American officials on 10 December and has been sanctioned by multiple nations. At the time it was seized, it was falsely flying the ensign of Guyana.
This seizure was followed by the interception of a second tanker, the Centuries. It – in contrast to the first vessel – was not yet under sanctions when it was taken into American control.
US authorities are currently pursuing a third such ship, which has been identified by the maritime risk group a risk firm as the Bella 1. President Donald Trump stated recently that “we’ll end up getting it”.
Writing on X, the maritime monitoring group noted the vessel Bella 1 has been “in transit for 39 days” and, at an average speed of 11 knots, may have “approximately a month of fuel left unless her velocity decreases”.
The group added the tanker is “likely traveling south-east towards South Africa”.
