Imagery Image Shows First Venezuela-Linked Tanker Seized by American Authorities is Now Near Texas.
American personnel boarding the vessel of the tanker Skipper on 10 December.
Satellite imagery and ship tracking information has verified that the oil tanker named Skipper – the first vessel seized by the United States for reportedly carrying sanctioned oil from Venezuela – is now off the coast of the state of Texas.
Vantor satellite imagery from 21 December indicates the tanker is near Galveston, while Automatic Identification System vessel-tracking data from a maritime data service presently positions the vessel about 50 miles from the coast.
The Skipper was seized by American officials on the tenth of December and has been sanctioned by several nations. When it was intercepted, it was falsely sailing under the ensign of Guyana.
This interception was followed by the capture of a another tanker, the Centuries tanker. This ship – in contrast to the Skipper – was not under official restrictions when it was taken into American control.
American agencies are now targeting a third ship, which has been identified by the maritime risk group a risk firm as the Bella 1 tanker. The US President stated recently that “we’ll end up getting it”.
Writing on X, the maritime monitoring group noted the vessel Bella 1 has been “underway for over a month” and, at an average speed of 11 knots, may have “another 28 to 35 days of diesel remaining unless her speed decreases”.
The group added the vessel is “likely traveling in a southeasterly direction towards the South African coast”.