Satellite Data Reveals Initial Venezuela-Linked Tanker Seized by American Authorities is Currently Off the Texas Coast.
US personnel roped onto the vessel of the tanker Skipper on December 10th.
Orbital data and ship tracking information has verified that the crude carrier Skipper – the first vessel seized by the United States for allegedly transporting sanctioned crude from the Venezuelan regime – is now off the coast of Texas.
Vantor satellite imagery dated 21 December indicates the ship is in the vicinity of Galveston, while Automatic Identification System vessel-tracking data from a maritime data service presently positions the vessel about 50 miles from the coast.
The tanker Skipper was seized by US authorities on the tenth of December and has been sanctioned by several governments. When it was seized, it was falsely flying the ensign of the nation of Guyana.
This interception was succeeded by the capture of a another oil vessel, the Centuries. It – in contrast to the first vessel – was not under sanctions when it was taken into American control.
American agencies are now pursuing a third ship, which has been named by the maritime risk group a risk firm as the Bella 1. The US President stated recently that “it will ultimately be secured”.
Writing on X, the maritime monitoring group noted 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 drops”.
The monitoring service added the vessel is “likely traveling south-east towards South Africa”.
