Imagery Data Shows First Venezuela-Linked Oil Ship Confiscated by American Authorities is Currently Near the Texas Coast.
US agents boarding the vessel of the Skipper on 10 December.
Satellite imagery and ship tracking data has verified that the crude carrier named Skipper – the initial vessel apprehended by the US for reportedly carrying embargoed crude from the Venezuelan regime – is now off the coast of the state of Texas.
Vantor orbital photographs dated 21 December indicates the tanker is in the vicinity of Galveston, while AIS vessel-tracking data from a maritime data service presently positions the vessel about 80km offshore.
The Skipper was taken into custody by American officials on 10 December and has been sanctioned by multiple nations. When it was intercepted, it was falsely flying the flag of the nation of Guyana.
This interception was succeeded by the capture of a second oil vessel, the Centuries. This ship – unlike the Skipper – was not yet under official restrictions when it was brought under US custody.
US authorities are now targeting a third ship, which has been identified by the maritime risk group a risk firm as the Bella 1. The US President said recently that “it will ultimately be secured”.
Writing on the social media platform X, the maritime monitoring group noted the Bella 1 has been “in transit for 39 days” and, at an typical pace of 11 nautical miles per hour, may have “approximately a month of diesel left unless her speed drops”.
The monitoring service added the tanker is “likely heading in a southeasterly direction towards South Africa”.
