Satellite Data Shows Initial Venezuela-Linked Tanker Confiscated by US is Currently Near the Texas Coast.
American personnel roped onto the vessel of the Skipper on December 10th.
Satellite imagery and ship tracking data has confirmed that the crude carrier named Skipper – the initial vessel apprehended by the United States for allegedly transporting embargoed crude from the Venezuelan regime – is now positioned near of the state of Texas.
A satellite firm's satellite imagery from 21 December indicates the tanker is near Galveston, while AIS vessel-tracking data from MarineTraffic presently positions the Skipper about 80km offshore.
The tanker Skipper was taken into custody by American officials on 10 December and has been sanctioned by multiple nations. When it was intercepted, it was falsely sailing under the flag of the nation of Guyana.
This interception was succeeded by the capture of a second oil vessel, the Centuries. This ship – unlike the Skipper – was not yet under official restrictions when it was taken into US custody.
US authorities are currently pursuing a third ship, which has been identified by the risk management group a risk firm as the Bella 1. The US President said yesterday that “we’ll end up getting it”.
Writing on X, the TankerTrackers 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 left unless her speed decreases”.
The monitoring service added the tanker is “likely traveling in a southeasterly direction towards the South African coast”.
