Imagery Data Shows Initial Venezuela-Linked Tanker Seized by American Authorities is Currently Off Texas.
American personnel boarding the deck of the Skipper on 10 December.
Satellite imagery and vessel monitoring information has verified that the crude carrier named Skipper – the first vessel apprehended by the US for reportedly transporting sanctioned crude from Venezuela – is currently off the coast of the state of Texas.
A satellite firm's orbital photographs from 21 December shows the ship is in the vicinity of the port of Galveston, while Automatic Identification System vessel-tracking data from MarineTraffic 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 falsely flying the ensign of the nation of Guyana.
This seizure was succeeded by the interception of a second oil vessel, the Centuries. This ship – in contrast to the first vessel – was not under official restrictions when it was taken into US custody.
US authorities are now pursuing a third such ship, which has been named by the risk management group Vanguard as the Bella 1. The US President said yesterday that “it will ultimately be secured”.
Writing on the social media platform X, the maritime monitoring group said the Bella 1 has been “in transit for over a month” and, at an average speed of 11 nautical miles per hour, may have “another 28 to 35 days of fuel left unless her velocity decreases”.
The group further stated the vessel is “likely traveling south-east towards the South African coast”.