Imagery Data Reveals First Venezuelan Oil Ship Confiscated by American Authorities is Now Off the Texas Coast.
American personnel roped onto the deck of the Skipper on 10 December.
Satellite imagery and vessel monitoring information has verified that the oil tanker Skipper – the initial vessel apprehended by the United States for reportedly carrying sanctioned oil from Venezuela – is now positioned near of the state of Texas.
A satellite firm's satellite imagery from 21 December shows the ship is near the port of Galveston, while AIS vessel-tracking feeds from a maritime data service currently places the Skipper about 80km offshore.
The Skipper was seized by American officials on 10 December and has been sanctioned by several governments. When it was seized, it was incorrectly sailing under the ensign of the nation of Guyana.
This seizure was succeeded by the capture of a another oil vessel, the Centuries tanker. It – unlike the Skipper – was not under official restrictions when it was taken into US custody.
American agencies are now targeting a third vessel, which has been named by the maritime risk group Vanguard as the Bella 1 tanker. The US President stated yesterday that “we’ll end up getting it”.
Writing on the social media platform X, the maritime monitoring group noted the vessel Bella 1 has been “underway for 39 days” and, at an typical pace of 11 knots, may have “another 28 to 35 days of fuel remaining unless her speed decreases”.
The group further stated the tanker is “likely heading in a southeasterly direction towards South Africa”.
