Satellite Data Shows First Venezuela-Linked Oil Ship Seized by US is Currently Off the Texas Coast.
American personnel boarding the vessel of the tanker Skipper on 10 December.
Satellite imagery and vessel monitoring data has verified that the crude carrier Skipper – the initial vessel apprehended by the United States for reportedly transporting embargoed crude from Venezuela – is now off the coast of Texas.
A satellite firm's satellite imagery dated 21 December indicates the ship is near Galveston, while AIS vessel-tracking data from a maritime data service presently places the Skipper about 50 miles offshore.
The Skipper was seized by American officials on 10 December and has been sanctioned by several governments. When it was intercepted, it was incorrectly sailing under the flag of the nation of Guyana.
This interception was succeeded by the capture of a another tanker, the Centuries tanker. It – unlike the first vessel – was not under official restrictions when it was taken into US custody.
American agencies are currently targeting a third vessel, which has been identified by the maritime risk group Vanguard as the Bella 1 tanker. President Donald Trump said yesterday that “we’ll end up getting it”.
Writing on X, the maritime monitoring group said the Bella 1 has been “in transit for 39 days” and, at an typical pace of 11 nautical miles per hour, may have “another 28 to 35 days of fuel remaining unless her velocity drops”.
The group added the vessel is “likely heading south-east towards the South African coast”.
