Imagery Image Shows First Venezuelan Oil Ship Seized by US is Currently Near Texas.
US agents roped onto the vessel of the tanker Skipper on 10 December.
Satellite imagery and vessel monitoring data has verified that the crude carrier Skipper – the initial vessel apprehended by the United States for reportedly transporting sanctioned 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 the port of Galveston, while Automatic Identification System vessel-tracking feeds from a maritime data service presently positions the Skipper about 50 miles from the coast.
The tanker Skipper was taken into custody by US authorities on 10 December and has been sanctioned by multiple governments. At the time it was intercepted, it was incorrectly flying the ensign of the nation of Guyana.
This interception was followed by the interception of a second oil vessel, the Centuries. This ship – unlike the Skipper – was not under official restrictions when it was taken into American control.
US authorities are now targeting a third such vessel, which has been identified by the risk management group a risk firm as the Bella 1 tanker. President Donald Trump said recently that “it will ultimately be secured”.
Writing on the social media platform X, the TankerTrackers group said the Bella 1 has been “in transit for over a month” and, at an average speed of 11 nautical miles per hour, may have “another 28 to 35 days of fuel left unless her speed decreases”.
The monitoring service added the vessel is “probably heading south-east towards South Africa”.
