Satellite Data Shows Initial Venezuela-Linked Oil Ship Confiscated by US is Now Off Texas.
US agents boarding the deck of the tanker Skipper on December 10th.
Orbital data and ship tracking data has confirmed that the crude carrier named Skipper – the first vessel seized by the US for allegedly carrying sanctioned oil from Venezuela – is now off the coast of the state of Texas.
Vantor satellite imagery dated 21 December shows the ship is in the vicinity of the port of Galveston, while Automatic Identification System vessel-tracking feeds from a maritime data service currently places the vessel about 80km 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 intercepted, it was incorrectly sailing under the ensign of the nation of Guyana.
This interception was followed by the interception of a another 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 now targeting a third ship, which has been named by the maritime risk group a risk firm as the Bella 1. The US President said recently that “it will ultimately be secured”.
Writing on X, the TankerTrackers group noted the Bella 1 has been “underway for 39 days” and, at an average speed of 11 knots, may have “approximately a month of fuel left unless her speed drops”.
The group added the vessel is “likely heading in a southeasterly direction towards South Africa”.
