Satellite Image Shows First Venezuelan Tanker Confiscated by American Authorities is Now Off the Texas Coast.
American agents boarding the deck of the Skipper on December 10th.
Orbital data and ship tracking data has confirmed that the crude carrier named Skipper – the first vessel apprehended by the US for allegedly transporting sanctioned oil from the Venezuelan regime – is now off the coast of Texas.
Vantor orbital photographs from 21 December shows the tanker is near the port of Galveston, while AIS ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic presently positions the Skipper about 50 miles offshore.
The Skipper was taken into custody by US authorities on 10 December and has been sanctioned by multiple governments. At the time it was seized, it was incorrectly sailing under the flag of Guyana.
This interception was followed by the capture of a second tanker, the Centuries. This ship – unlike the Skipper – was not yet under official restrictions when it was brought under US custody.
American agencies are now pursuing a third vessel, which has been identified by the risk management group a risk firm as the Bella 1. The US President stated yesterday that “we’ll end up getting it”.
Writing on the social media platform X, the TankerTrackers group said the Bella 1 has been “underway for 39 days” and, at an average speed of 11 knots, may have “approximately a month of diesel remaining unless her speed drops”.
The group added the tanker is “probably heading in a southeasterly direction towards the South African coast”.
