Imagery Image Reveals First Venezuela-Linked Oil Ship Confiscated by American Authorities is Currently Off the Texas Coast.
American personnel roped onto the vessel of the Skipper on December 10th.
Satellite imagery and vessel monitoring information has verified that the crude carrier Skipper – the first vessel apprehended by the United States for reportedly transporting sanctioned oil from Venezuela – is currently off the coast of the state of Texas.
A satellite firm's satellite imagery from 21 December shows the tanker is near the port of Galveston, while AIS vessel-tracking feeds from a maritime data service presently positions the vessel about 80km from the coast.
The Skipper was seized by American officials on 10 December and has been sanctioned by several nations. When it was seized, it was falsely sailing under the ensign of Guyana.
This seizure was followed by the capture of a second tanker, the Centuries tanker. It – unlike the first vessel – was not yet under official restrictions when it was brought under US custody.
US authorities are now targeting a third such vessel, which has been named by the risk management group a risk firm as the Bella 1 tanker. The US President stated recently that “we’ll end up getting it”.
Writing on the social media platform X, the TankerTrackers group said the Bella 1 has been “in transit for 39 days” and, at an average speed of 11 nautical miles per hour, may have “another 28 to 35 days of diesel left unless her speed decreases”.
The group further stated the tanker is “likely heading in a southeasterly direction towards South Africa”.