Satellite Image Shows First Venezuelan Oil Ship Seized by American Authorities is Currently Near Texas.
American personnel roped onto the vessel of the tanker Skipper on December 10th.
Satellite imagery and vessel monitoring information has confirmed that the crude carrier named Skipper – the initial vessel apprehended by the US for reportedly carrying sanctioned oil from the Venezuelan regime – is currently positioned near of the state of Texas.
A satellite firm's orbital photographs from 21 December indicates the ship is near Galveston, while Automatic Identification System ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic currently places the Skipper about 50 miles offshore.
The Skipper was taken into custody by American officials on 10 December and has been sanctioned by multiple nations. At the time it was seized, it was incorrectly flying the flag of the nation of Guyana.
This seizure was succeeded by the interception of a second tanker, the Centuries tanker. It – in contrast to the first vessel – was not under sanctions when it was taken into US custody.
American agencies are currently targeting a third such vessel, which has been named by the maritime risk group a risk firm as the Bella 1 tanker. President Donald Trump stated recently that “we’ll end up getting it”.
Writing on X, the maritime monitoring group said 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 diesel left unless her speed drops”.
The group added the tanker is “probably traveling south-east towards South Africa”.