Imagery Image Reveals First Venezuela-Linked Tanker Confiscated by US is Currently Near the Texas Coast.
American agents boarding the deck of the Skipper on 10 December.
Satellite imagery and vessel monitoring data has confirmed that the crude carrier Skipper – the initial vessel apprehended by the US for allegedly carrying embargoed crude from the Venezuelan regime – is now off the coast of Texas.
A satellite firm's orbital photographs dated 21 December indicates the tanker is in the vicinity of the port of Galveston, while Automatic Identification System vessel-tracking data from a maritime data service currently positions the vessel about 50 miles from the coast.
The tanker Skipper was taken into custody by US authorities on the tenth of December and has been blacklisted by multiple nations. At the time it was intercepted, it was falsely sailing under the flag of the nation of Guyana.
This seizure was followed by the interception of a another tanker, the Centuries tanker. It – in contrast to the first vessel – was not under official restrictions when it was brought under US custody.
US authorities are currently pursuing a third such ship, which has been identified by the maritime risk group Vanguard as the Bella 1. The US President stated yesterday 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 typical pace of 11 knots, may have “another 28 to 35 days of fuel remaining unless her velocity drops”.
The group added the tanker is “likely heading south-east towards the South African coast”.
