Satellite Data Shows Initial Venezuelan Oil Ship Confiscated by US is Currently Near Texas.
American agents roped onto the deck of the tanker Skipper on December 10th.
Orbital data and vessel monitoring data has confirmed that the oil tanker Skipper – the first vessel apprehended by the United States for allegedly transporting sanctioned crude from Venezuela – is now positioned near of Texas.
A satellite firm's orbital photographs dated 21 December indicates the tanker is in the vicinity of the port of Galveston, while AIS ship-tracking feeds from a maritime data service presently places the vessel 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 intercepted, it was incorrectly flying the ensign of Guyana.
This interception was succeeded by the interception of a another oil vessel, the Centuries tanker. It – unlike the first vessel – was not under official restrictions when it was taken into US custody.
American agencies are now targeting a third such ship, which has been identified by the maritime risk group Vanguard as the Bella 1. President Donald Trump stated yesterday that “we’ll end up getting it”.
Writing on X, the TankerTrackers group said the vessel Bella 1 has been “underway for 39 days” and, at an average speed of 11 knots, may have “another 28 to 35 days of diesel remaining unless her speed decreases”.
The group added the vessel is “likely traveling in a southeasterly direction towards South Africa”.
