Imagery Data Shows Initial Venezuela-Linked Oil Ship Confiscated by US is Currently Near Texas.
American agents boarding the deck of the Skipper on 10 December.
Orbital data and ship tracking data has verified that the crude carrier named Skipper – the initial vessel seized by the US for reportedly transporting sanctioned oil from Venezuela – is now positioned near of the state of Texas.
A satellite firm's satellite imagery dated 21 December shows the ship is near Galveston, while AIS ship-tracking data from a maritime data service currently places the Skipper about 80km from the coast.
The Skipper was seized by US authorities on 10 December and has been sanctioned by several nations. When it was intercepted, it was incorrectly flying the flag of Guyana.
This interception was succeeded by the capture of a another tanker, the Centuries tanker. This ship – unlike the Skipper – was not yet under sanctions when it was brought under American control.
US authorities are currently pursuing a third vessel, which has been named by the maritime risk group a risk firm as the Bella 1. The US President stated yesterday that “it will ultimately be secured”.
Writing on the social media platform X, the TankerTrackers group noted the vessel Bella 1 has been “in transit for 39 days” and, at an typical pace of 11 knots, may have “another 28 to 35 days of diesel remaining unless her speed drops”.
The monitoring service further stated the tanker is “likely traveling in a southeasterly direction towards South Africa”.
