Satellite Image Reveals Initial Venezuela-Linked Oil Ship Seized by American Authorities is Currently Near Texas.
US personnel roped onto the deck of the tanker Skipper on December 10th.
Satellite imagery and ship tracking information has confirmed that the oil tanker Skipper – the first vessel apprehended by the US for allegedly carrying sanctioned crude from Venezuela – is currently positioned near of Texas.
Vantor satellite imagery dated 21 December indicates the tanker is near the port of Galveston, while AIS ship-tracking feeds from a maritime data service currently places the vessel about 80km from the coast.
The tanker Skipper was taken into custody by US authorities on 10 December and has been blacklisted by several governments. At the time it was seized, it was incorrectly flying the flag of the nation of Guyana.
This interception was followed by the interception of a second tanker, the Centuries. This ship – in contrast to the first vessel – was not yet under sanctions when it was brought under US custody.
American agencies are now pursuing a third ship, which has been named by the risk management group Vanguard as the Bella 1. The US President stated yesterday that “we’ll end up getting it”.
Writing on the social media platform X, the maritime monitoring group said the vessel Bella 1 has been “in transit for over a month” and, at an typical pace of 11 knots, may have “another 28 to 35 days of fuel remaining unless her velocity decreases”.
The group further stated the tanker is “likely heading in a southeasterly direction towards South Africa”.
