Satellite Image Shows Initial Venezuela-Linked Oil Ship Confiscated by American Authorities is Now Off Texas.
American personnel boarding the vessel of the tanker Skipper on December 10th.
Satellite imagery and vessel monitoring data has verified that the oil tanker Skipper – the initial vessel seized by the US for reportedly transporting embargoed crude from the Venezuelan regime – is now off the coast of the state of Texas.
Vantor orbital photographs from 21 December shows the ship is in the vicinity of the port of Galveston, while Automatic Identification System ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic currently positions the Skipper about 80km from the coast.
The Skipper was taken into custody by US authorities on the tenth of December and has been blacklisted by multiple nations. When it was seized, it was incorrectly sailing under the ensign of Guyana.
This interception was followed by the capture of a another oil vessel, the Centuries tanker. It – in contrast to the Skipper – was not yet under sanctions when it was taken into US custody.
American agencies are currently pursuing a third vessel, which has been identified by the maritime risk group a risk firm as the Bella 1 tanker. President Donald Trump stated recently that “it will ultimately be secured”.
Writing on X, the maritime monitoring group noted the 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 monitoring service further stated the tanker is “probably traveling south-east towards the South African coast”.
