Imagery Image Shows First Venezuela-Linked Oil Ship Seized by US is Currently Off Texas.
American agents roped onto the vessel of the Skipper on 10 December.
Orbital data and vessel monitoring information has verified that the oil tanker named Skipper – the initial vessel seized by the US for reportedly carrying embargoed crude from the Venezuelan regime – is currently positioned near of Texas.
A satellite firm's orbital photographs dated 21 December indicates the tanker is in the vicinity of Galveston, while Automatic Identification System vessel-tracking data from MarineTraffic presently positions the vessel about 50 miles offshore.
The Skipper was seized by American officials on 10 December and has been sanctioned by multiple nations. When it was seized, it was incorrectly flying the ensign of Guyana.
This seizure was followed by the interception of a another tanker, the Centuries. It – unlike the Skipper – was not yet under official restrictions when it was brought under American control.
American agencies are now targeting a third such vessel, which has been named by the risk management group Vanguard as the Bella 1 tanker. President Donald Trump stated yesterday that “we’ll end up getting it”.
Writing on X, the TankerTrackers group noted the vessel Bella 1 has been “in transit for over a month” and, at an average speed of 11 knots, may have “approximately a month of fuel remaining unless her speed decreases”.
The group added the vessel is “likely heading south-east towards the South African coast”.
