Imagery Data Reveals First Venezuelan Tanker Seized by American Authorities is Now Off the Texas Coast.
US agents roped onto the vessel of the Skipper on December 10th.
Orbital data and vessel monitoring information has confirmed that the crude carrier named Skipper – the initial vessel apprehended by the United States for reportedly carrying sanctioned oil from the Venezuelan regime – is currently positioned near of Texas.
Vantor orbital photographs from 21 December indicates the ship is near Galveston, while AIS vessel-tracking data from a maritime data service presently places the vessel about 80km offshore.
The Skipper was taken into custody by American officials on the tenth of December and has been sanctioned by multiple governments. When it was seized, it was incorrectly sailing under the ensign of Guyana.
This interception was succeeded by the capture of a second oil vessel, the Centuries tanker. It – unlike the Skipper – was not yet under official restrictions when it was taken into American control.
US authorities are currently pursuing a third vessel, which has been named by the maritime risk group a risk firm as the Bella 1. President Donald Trump said yesterday that “we’ll end up getting it”.
Writing on the social media platform X, the maritime monitoring 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 remaining unless her velocity drops”.
The monitoring service further stated the vessel is “likely traveling in a southeasterly direction towards the South African coast”.
