Imagery Data Reveals Initial Venezuela-Linked Tanker Seized by American Authorities is Currently Near Texas.
US personnel roped onto the vessel of the Skipper on December 10th.
Orbital data and vessel monitoring information has confirmed that the crude carrier Skipper – the initial vessel seized by the US for reportedly carrying sanctioned oil from Venezuela – is now off the coast of the state of Texas.
A satellite firm's orbital photographs dated 21 December shows the ship is near Galveston, while AIS ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic currently positions the Skipper about 80km from the coast.
The tanker Skipper was taken into custody by US authorities on the tenth of December and has been sanctioned by multiple nations. When it was intercepted, it was falsely flying the ensign of the nation of Guyana.
This interception was succeeded by the interception of a another oil vessel, the Centuries tanker. It – in contrast to the first vessel – was not under official restrictions when it was taken into US custody.
US authorities are now targeting a third vessel, which has been named by the maritime risk group a risk firm as the Bella 1. The US President said yesterday that “we’ll end up getting it”.
Writing on the social media platform X, the TankerTrackers group noted the Bella 1 has been “in transit for 39 days” and, at an average speed of 11 knots, may have “approximately a month of diesel remaining unless her velocity decreases”.
The monitoring service added the vessel is “likely heading in a southeasterly direction towards South Africa”.
