Imagery Data Reveals Initial Venezuelan Oil Ship Seized by American Authorities is Currently Near the Texas Coast.
American agents roped onto the vessel of the Skipper on 10 December.
Orbital data and vessel monitoring information has confirmed that the crude carrier named Skipper – the initial vessel seized by the United States for reportedly transporting embargoed crude from Venezuela – is currently off the coast of the state of Texas.
A satellite firm's satellite imagery from 21 December shows the ship is in the vicinity of Galveston, while Automatic Identification System ship-tracking feeds from a maritime data service currently places the Skipper about 50 miles from the coast.
The Skipper was seized by American officials on 10 December and has been sanctioned by multiple governments. When it was intercepted, it was incorrectly sailing under the ensign of the nation of Guyana.
This seizure was succeeded by the interception of a another tanker, the Centuries. It – in contrast to the first vessel – was not yet under sanctions 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. The US President said yesterday that “we’ll end up getting it”.
Writing on X, the maritime monitoring group noted the vessel Bella 1 has been “in transit for over a month” and, at an average speed of 11 nautical miles per hour, may have “approximately a month of fuel remaining unless her velocity decreases”.
The monitoring service added the vessel is “likely traveling south-east towards South Africa”.
