Imagery Data Shows Initial Venezuela-Linked Tanker Confiscated by US is Now Off Texas.
US agents roped onto the deck of the tanker Skipper on December 10th.
Orbital data and vessel monitoring data has verified that the crude carrier named Skipper – the first vessel apprehended by the United States for reportedly transporting embargoed crude from Venezuela – is now off the coast of Texas.
Vantor orbital photographs dated 21 December shows the ship is in the vicinity of Galveston, while Automatic Identification System ship-tracking feeds from a maritime data service currently places the vessel about 50 miles offshore.
The tanker Skipper was seized by US authorities on 10 December and has been sanctioned by multiple governments. At the time it was intercepted, it was falsely flying the flag of the nation of Guyana.
This interception was followed by the interception of a another oil vessel, the Centuries tanker. This ship – in contrast to the Skipper – was not under sanctions when it was brought under American control.
US authorities are now targeting a third such vessel, which has been identified by the maritime risk group Vanguard as the Bella 1. President Donald Trump said yesterday that “we’ll end up getting it”.
Writing on the social media platform X, the TankerTrackers group noted the vessel Bella 1 has been “in transit for 39 days” and, at an average speed of 11 knots, may have “another 28 to 35 days of fuel left unless her velocity decreases”.
The group further stated the vessel is “likely heading in a southeasterly direction towards South Africa”.
