Satellite Data Reveals First Venezuelan Tanker Seized by American Authorities is Currently Off Texas.
US personnel roped onto the vessel of the Skipper on 10 December.
Orbital data and ship tracking information has verified that the crude carrier Skipper – the initial vessel seized by the United States for allegedly carrying embargoed oil from the Venezuelan regime – is now positioned near of Texas.
A satellite firm's satellite imagery dated 21 December indicates the tanker is near the port of Galveston, while AIS vessel-tracking feeds from MarineTraffic currently positions the Skipper about 50 miles offshore.
The Skipper was seized by American officials on 10 December and has been sanctioned by several nations. At the time it was intercepted, it was falsely sailing under the ensign of the nation of Guyana.
This interception was followed by the capture of a second oil vessel, the Centuries. It – unlike the Skipper – was not yet under official restrictions when it was brought under US custody.
American agencies are currently pursuing a third ship, which has been named by the maritime risk group a risk firm as the Bella 1. President Donald Trump said recently that “it will ultimately be secured”.
Writing on the social media platform X, the TankerTrackers group said the vessel Bella 1 has been “in transit for 39 days” and, at an typical pace of 11 knots, may have “another 28 to 35 days of diesel left unless her speed drops”.
The monitoring service further stated the vessel is “probably heading in a southeasterly direction towards the South African coast”.
