Imagery Image Shows First Venezuela-Linked Tanker Seized by American Authorities is Currently Off the Texas Coast.
American agents roped onto the vessel of the Skipper on December 10th.
Satellite imagery and ship tracking data has confirmed that the oil tanker Skipper – the first vessel seized by the US for reportedly transporting sanctioned oil from the Venezuelan regime – is currently off the coast of the state of Texas.
A satellite firm's satellite imagery dated 21 December shows the ship is near the port of Galveston, while AIS ship-tracking data from a maritime data service currently places the Skipper about 50 miles from the coast.
The Skipper was seized by American officials on the tenth of December and has been sanctioned by multiple governments. At the time it was seized, it was falsely flying the ensign of the nation of Guyana.
This interception was followed by the interception of a another tanker, the Centuries. This ship – unlike the Skipper – was not under official restrictions when it was taken into American control.
American agencies are currently pursuing a third ship, which has been identified by the maritime risk group a risk firm as the Bella 1 tanker. President Donald Trump said 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 “underway for 39 days” and, at an average speed of 11 nautical miles per hour, may have “approximately a month of fuel left unless her velocity decreases”.
The monitoring service further stated the tanker is “likely heading in a southeasterly direction towards South Africa”.
