Imagery Data Shows First Venezuelan Oil Ship Confiscated by American Authorities is Now Near the Texas Coast.
American personnel roped onto the deck of the tanker Skipper on 10 December.
Orbital data and vessel monitoring data has verified that the oil tanker named Skipper – the initial vessel apprehended by the US for allegedly carrying sanctioned oil from Venezuela – is currently off the coast of Texas.
A satellite firm's orbital photographs dated 21 December shows the tanker is in the vicinity of the port of Galveston, while AIS vessel-tracking data from a maritime data service currently places the Skipper about 50 miles offshore.
The Skipper was taken into custody by American officials on 10 December and has been sanctioned by several governments. When it was intercepted, it was incorrectly flying the ensign of the nation of Guyana.
This interception was followed by the capture of a second tanker, the Centuries. It – in contrast to the first vessel – was not yet under sanctions when it was brought under US custody.
American agencies are currently pursuing a third such ship, which has been named by the maritime risk group a risk firm as the Bella 1. The US President stated recently that “it will ultimately be secured”.
Writing on X, the maritime monitoring group noted the Bella 1 has been “underway for over a month” and, at an typical pace of 11 nautical miles per hour, may have “another 28 to 35 days of fuel remaining unless her speed drops”.
The monitoring service added the tanker is “probably traveling in a southeasterly direction towards the South African coast”.
