Satellite Data Shows Initial Venezuelan Tanker Seized by American Authorities is Currently Near Texas.
American personnel roped onto the vessel of the Skipper on 10 December.
Satellite imagery and ship tracking data has verified that the oil tanker Skipper – the initial vessel apprehended by the United States for reportedly carrying sanctioned crude from Venezuela – is now off the coast of Texas.
A satellite firm's orbital photographs from 21 December shows the tanker is in the vicinity of the port of Galveston, while Automatic Identification System vessel-tracking feeds from MarineTraffic currently places the vessel about 50 miles offshore.
The Skipper was taken into custody by US authorities on the tenth of December and has been blacklisted by several nations. At the time it was seized, it was incorrectly flying the flag of Guyana.
This interception was followed by the capture of a another tanker, the Centuries tanker. This ship – unlike the Skipper – was not under sanctions when it was taken into American control.
American agencies are currently pursuing a third vessel, which has been named by the risk management group a risk firm as the Bella 1 tanker. The US President stated recently that “it will ultimately be secured”.
Writing on the social media platform X, the maritime monitoring group said the vessel Bella 1 has been “in transit for 39 days” and, at an typical pace of 11 knots, may have “approximately a month of fuel remaining unless her velocity decreases”.
The monitoring service further stated the tanker is “likely heading in a southeasterly direction towards South Africa”.
