Imagery Image Reveals First Venezuelan Oil Ship Confiscated by US is Currently Near Texas.
American agents roped onto the deck of the tanker Skipper on 10 December.
Orbital data and ship tracking information has verified that the crude carrier Skipper – the first vessel seized by the United States for allegedly carrying embargoed oil from the Venezuelan regime – is now off the coast of the state of Texas.
Vantor orbital photographs dated 21 December shows the ship is near Galveston, while AIS vessel-tracking feeds from a maritime data service presently places the vessel about 50 miles offshore.
The Skipper was seized by American officials on 10 December and has been sanctioned by several governments. At the time it was seized, it was falsely flying the flag of Guyana.
This interception was followed by the interception of a another tanker, the Centuries tanker. This ship – unlike the first vessel – was not yet under sanctions when it was brought under American control.
US authorities are currently pursuing a third ship, which has been identified by the maritime risk group a risk firm as the Bella 1. President Donald Trump stated recently that “it will ultimately be secured”.
Writing on X, the TankerTrackers group said the vessel Bella 1 has been “in transit for 39 days” and, at an typical pace of 11 knots, may have “approximately a month of diesel left unless her velocity drops”.
The group further stated the tanker is “likely heading in a southeasterly direction towards South Africa”.
