Imagery Data Reveals Initial Venezuela-Linked Oil Ship Seized by US is Now Near Texas.
American agents roped onto the vessel of the tanker Skipper on 10 December.
Orbital data and vessel monitoring data has verified that the oil tanker named Skipper – the initial vessel apprehended by the United States for reportedly carrying sanctioned oil from Venezuela – is now off the coast of the state of Texas.
Vantor 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 10 December and has been blacklisted by several governments. At the time it was intercepted, it was falsely sailing under the ensign of Guyana.
This seizure was succeeded by the interception of a another oil vessel, the Centuries. This ship – unlike the Skipper – was not yet under official restrictions when it was taken into American control.
American agencies are currently targeting a third ship, which has been identified by the maritime risk group a risk firm as the Bella 1 tanker. President Donald Trump stated yesterday that “we’ll end up getting it”.
Writing on X, the TankerTrackers group noted the Bella 1 has been “underway for 39 days” and, at an average speed of 11 nautical miles per hour, may have “approximately a month of diesel remaining unless her velocity decreases”.
The group further stated the vessel is “likely heading in a southeasterly direction towards the South African coast”.
