Imagery Image Reveals First Venezuela-Linked Tanker Seized by US is Currently Off the Texas Coast.
US personnel roped onto the deck of the Skipper on 10 December.
Orbital data and vessel monitoring data has confirmed that the crude carrier named Skipper – the first vessel seized by the United States for allegedly carrying sanctioned crude from Venezuela – is currently off the coast of the state of Texas.
A satellite firm's orbital photographs from 21 December indicates the tanker is in the vicinity of Galveston, while AIS ship-tracking data from a maritime data service currently places the vessel about 80km offshore.
The Skipper was seized by American officials on 10 December and has been sanctioned by several governments. When it was seized, it was incorrectly flying the flag of Guyana.
This seizure was followed by the capture of a second tanker, the Centuries tanker. This ship – in contrast to the Skipper – was not yet under sanctions when it was taken into US custody.
American agencies are currently pursuing a third such vessel, which has been named by the risk management group Vanguard as the Bella 1 tanker. The US President stated yesterday that “it will ultimately be secured”.
Writing on the social media platform X, the maritime monitoring group said the vessel Bella 1 has been “in transit for 39 days” and, at an average speed of 11 knots, may have “another 28 to 35 days of fuel remaining unless her speed decreases”.
The group further stated the tanker is “probably heading in a southeasterly direction towards South Africa”.
