Satellite Image Shows First Venezuela-Linked Oil Ship Seized by US is Now Near the Texas Coast.
US agents roped onto the vessel of the Skipper on December 10th.
Satellite imagery and vessel monitoring information has confirmed that the crude carrier Skipper – the initial vessel apprehended by the US for allegedly transporting embargoed oil from the Venezuelan regime – is currently positioned near of the state of Texas.
Vantor satellite imagery from 21 December shows the ship is in the vicinity of the port of Galveston, while AIS vessel-tracking data from MarineTraffic currently positions the Skipper about 80km offshore.
The Skipper was taken into custody by US authorities on 10 December and has been blacklisted by several nations. When it was intercepted, it was falsely flying the flag of Guyana.
This interception was followed by the interception of a another oil vessel, the Centuries. This ship – in contrast to the first vessel – was not under sanctions when it was brought under American control.
American agencies are currently targeting a third such vessel, which has been named by the risk management group Vanguard as the Bella 1. President Donald Trump said recently that “we’ll end up getting it”.
Writing on X, the maritime monitoring group noted the Bella 1 has been “underway for 39 days” and, at an typical pace of 11 knots, may have “approximately a month of diesel remaining unless her velocity decreases”.
The group added the tanker is “probably traveling south-east towards South Africa”.
