Imagery Data Shows First Venezuela-Linked Tanker Seized by American Authorities is Now Near Texas.
US personnel boarding the vessel of the Skipper on 10 December.
Satellite imagery and vessel monitoring data has confirmed that the oil tanker named Skipper – the first vessel seized by the United States for allegedly carrying embargoed oil from Venezuela – is currently positioned near of Texas.
A satellite firm's orbital photographs dated 21 December shows the tanker is near Galveston, while Automatic Identification System ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic presently places the vessel about 50 miles offshore.
The Skipper was seized by American officials on 10 December and has been blacklisted by multiple nations. At the time it was intercepted, it was falsely sailing under the ensign of Guyana.
This interception was followed by the interception of a another oil vessel, the Centuries tanker. It – unlike the Skipper – was not under official restrictions when it was taken into American control.
US authorities are now targeting a third ship, which has been identified by the maritime risk group a risk firm as the Bella 1 tanker. The US President said recently that “it will ultimately be secured”.
Writing on X, the maritime monitoring group said the vessel Bella 1 has been “underway for over a month” and, at an typical pace of 11 knots, may have “another 28 to 35 days of diesel left unless her velocity decreases”.
The monitoring service further stated the vessel is “likely heading south-east towards the South African coast”.
