Imagery Data Reveals Initial Venezuelan Oil Ship Confiscated by US is Currently Near the Texas Coast.
US agents roped onto the vessel of the tanker Skipper on 10 December.
Orbital data and vessel monitoring data has confirmed that the oil tanker named Skipper – the initial vessel seized by the United States for reportedly transporting embargoed oil from the Venezuelan regime – is currently positioned near of Texas.
A satellite firm's satellite imagery from 21 December shows the ship is in the vicinity of Galveston, while AIS ship-tracking feeds from a maritime data service presently places the vessel about 80km offshore.
The Skipper was taken into custody by US authorities on the tenth of December and has been blacklisted by multiple nations. When it was seized, it was falsely sailing under the ensign of the nation of Guyana.
This seizure was followed by the interception of a another oil vessel, the Centuries. It – in contrast to the first vessel – was not under sanctions when it was brought under US custody.
US authorities are currently pursuing a third vessel, which has been identified by the maritime risk group a risk firm as the Bella 1. President Donald Trump stated recently that “it will ultimately be secured”.
Writing on X, the TankerTrackers group noted the Bella 1 has been “underway for 39 days” and, at an typical pace of 11 knots, may have “approximately a month of diesel left unless her speed drops”.
The group further stated the vessel is “likely traveling in a southeasterly direction towards the South African coast”.
