Satellite Image Reveals First Venezuela-Linked Oil Ship Seized by US is Now Near the Texas Coast.
US agents boarding the vessel of the Skipper on December 10th.
Orbital data and vessel monitoring data has verified that the crude carrier Skipper – the initial vessel apprehended by the United States for allegedly transporting sanctioned crude from the Venezuelan regime – is now positioned near of Texas.
A satellite firm's orbital photographs dated 21 December shows the ship is in the vicinity of the port of Galveston, while AIS vessel-tracking feeds from a maritime data service currently positions the Skipper about 50 miles from the coast.
The tanker Skipper was seized by US authorities on 10 December and has been blacklisted by several governments. When it was intercepted, it was incorrectly flying the ensign of Guyana.
This seizure was followed by the interception of a another tanker, the Centuries. This ship – unlike the Skipper – was not yet under sanctions when it was taken into US custody.
US authorities are now pursuing a third vessel, which has been named by the risk management group a risk firm as the Bella 1 tanker. President Donald Trump said yesterday that “we’ll end up getting it”.
Writing on the social media platform X, the TankerTrackers group said the vessel Bella 1 has been “underway for over a month” and, at an average speed of 11 nautical miles per hour, may have “another 28 to 35 days of fuel remaining unless her speed drops”.
The group added the tanker is “probably traveling in a southeasterly direction towards the South African coast”.
