Satellite Image Shows Initial Venezuelan Tanker Seized by American Authorities is Currently Near the Texas Coast.
American agents boarding the deck of the tanker Skipper on 10 December.
Satellite imagery and vessel monitoring information has verified that the oil tanker Skipper – the first vessel apprehended by the United States for allegedly transporting embargoed oil from the Venezuelan regime – is now positioned near of Texas.
A satellite firm's orbital photographs dated 21 December indicates the tanker is in the vicinity of the port of Galveston, while Automatic Identification System ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic presently places the Skipper about 80km offshore.
The Skipper was taken into custody by US authorities on 10 December and has been blacklisted by multiple governments. When it was intercepted, it was falsely flying the flag of Guyana.
This interception was succeeded by the capture of a second oil vessel, the Centuries. This ship – in contrast to the Skipper – was not yet under official restrictions when it was brought under American control.
US authorities are now targeting a third vessel, which has been identified by the risk management group a risk firm as the Bella 1 tanker. President Donald Trump stated yesterday that “it will ultimately be secured”.
Writing on the social media platform X, the TankerTrackers group noted the Bella 1 has been “underway for over a month” and, at an average speed of 11 nautical miles per hour, may have “another 28 to 35 days of diesel remaining unless her velocity decreases”.
The group further stated the vessel is “likely traveling in a southeasterly direction towards the South African coast”.
