Imagery Image Reveals First Venezuelan Tanker Seized by US is Now Near the Texas Coast.
American personnel boarding the vessel of the tanker Skipper on December 10th.
Satellite imagery and ship tracking information has verified that the crude carrier Skipper – the first vessel apprehended by the United States for allegedly transporting sanctioned oil from Venezuela – is currently off the coast of Texas.
A satellite firm's orbital photographs from 21 December indicates the ship is near the port of Galveston, while Automatic Identification System vessel-tracking data from MarineTraffic currently positions the vessel about 50 miles offshore.
The tanker Skipper was taken into custody by US authorities on 10 December and has been sanctioned by several nations. At the time it was intercepted, it was incorrectly flying the flag of the nation of Guyana.
This interception was succeeded by the capture of a another tanker, the Centuries. It – unlike the Skipper – was not yet under sanctions when it was brought under American control.
US authorities are currently targeting a third ship, which has been named by the maritime risk group a risk firm as the Bella 1. President Donald Trump stated recently that “it will ultimately be secured”.
Writing on X, the TankerTrackers group said the vessel Bella 1 has been “underway for over a month” and, at an average speed of 11 knots, may have “another 28 to 35 days of fuel left unless her velocity drops”.
The group added the vessel is “probably traveling in a southeasterly direction towards the South African coast”.
