Imagery Data Reveals Initial Venezuela-Linked Oil Ship Seized by US is Currently Off Texas.
American agents boarding the vessel of the Skipper on December 10th.
Satellite imagery and vessel monitoring data has verified that the oil tanker Skipper – the initial vessel apprehended by the US for allegedly carrying embargoed crude from Venezuela – is currently positioned near of Texas.
A satellite firm's orbital photographs from 21 December shows the ship is near the port of Galveston, while AIS ship-tracking data from a maritime data service currently positions the vessel about 50 miles offshore.
The Skipper was taken into custody by US authorities on 10 December and has been sanctioned by multiple nations. At the time it was seized, it was falsely sailing under the ensign of the nation of Guyana.
This seizure was succeeded by the capture of a second tanker, the Centuries. It – unlike the Skipper – was not yet under sanctions when it was brought under American control.
US authorities are now pursuing a third such vessel, which has been named by the maritime risk group Vanguard 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 average speed of 11 knots, may have “approximately a month of diesel remaining unless her speed drops”.
The monitoring service added the vessel is “probably traveling south-east towards the South African coast”.
