Satellite Image Reveals Initial Venezuela-Linked Tanker Confiscated by US is Now Near Texas.
US personnel roped onto the vessel of the tanker Skipper on December 10th.
Satellite imagery and ship tracking data has confirmed that the crude carrier named Skipper – the initial vessel seized by the United States for reportedly carrying sanctioned oil from the Venezuelan regime – is currently off the coast of Texas.
A satellite firm's orbital photographs from 21 December indicates the tanker is in the vicinity of Galveston, while AIS ship-tracking feeds from a maritime data service presently places the vessel about 80km offshore.
The Skipper was taken into custody by US authorities on the tenth of December and has been sanctioned by multiple nations. When it was intercepted, it was falsely sailing under the flag of Guyana.
This seizure was followed by the interception of a second oil vessel, the Centuries tanker. This ship – unlike the first vessel – was not yet under sanctions when it was taken into US custody.
American agencies are currently targeting a third such vessel, which has been identified by the maritime risk group a risk firm as the Bella 1. President Donald Trump said recently that “we’ll end up getting it”.
Writing on X, the maritime monitoring 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 remaining unless her speed drops”.
The monitoring service added the tanker is “likely heading in a southeasterly direction towards the South African coast”.
