Satellite Image Reveals First Venezuela-Linked Oil Ship Seized by American Authorities is Now Off the Texas Coast.
US personnel roped onto the vessel of the Skipper on December 10th.
Satellite imagery and vessel monitoring information has confirmed that the crude carrier named Skipper – the initial vessel apprehended by the US for reportedly carrying embargoed crude from the Venezuelan regime – is now off the coast of the state of Texas.
Vantor satellite imagery dated 21 December indicates the tanker is in the vicinity of the port of Galveston, while AIS vessel-tracking feeds from MarineTraffic currently positions the Skipper about 50 miles from the coast.
The tanker Skipper was seized by US authorities on the tenth of December and has been sanctioned by several governments. When it was intercepted, it was falsely flying the flag of Guyana.
This seizure was succeeded by the interception of a second oil vessel, the Centuries tanker. This ship – unlike the first vessel – was not yet under official restrictions when it was taken into American control.
American agencies are now targeting a third ship, which has been identified by the maritime risk group Vanguard as the Bella 1 tanker. President Donald Trump stated recently that “it will ultimately be secured”.
Writing on the social media platform X, the maritime monitoring group noted 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 drops”.
The monitoring service further stated the tanker is “likely traveling in a southeasterly direction towards South Africa”.
