Imagery Image Reveals First Venezuela-Linked Tanker Seized by US is Currently Off the Texas Coast.
American agents roped onto the deck of the tanker Skipper on 10 December.
Satellite imagery and ship tracking data has confirmed that the oil tanker named Skipper – the initial vessel apprehended by the US for reportedly transporting sanctioned oil from the Venezuelan regime – is currently positioned near of the state of Texas.
A satellite firm's satellite imagery dated 21 December indicates the tanker is in the vicinity of Galveston, while Automatic Identification System ship-tracking feeds from MarineTraffic presently positions the vessel about 50 miles offshore.
The tanker Skipper was seized by American officials on 10 December and has been sanctioned by several nations. When it was seized, it was incorrectly sailing under the ensign of the nation of Guyana.
This interception was succeeded by the capture of a second tanker, the Centuries. It – in contrast to the first vessel – was not under sanctions when it was brought under American control.
US authorities are now pursuing a third such ship, which has been identified by the maritime risk group a risk firm as the Bella 1. The US President said yesterday that “we’ll end up getting it”.
Writing on X, the TankerTrackers group said the vessel Bella 1 has been “in transit for 39 days” and, at an average speed of 11 nautical miles per hour, may have “approximately a month of diesel left unless her speed decreases”.
The group added the vessel is “probably heading south-east towards South Africa”.
