Satellite Data Shows Initial Venezuela-Linked Tanker Seized by US is Currently Off the Texas Coast.
American personnel roped onto the vessel of the Skipper on 10 December.
Satellite imagery and vessel monitoring data has confirmed that the oil tanker Skipper – the first vessel seized by the United States for allegedly carrying embargoed oil from the Venezuelan regime – is now positioned near of Texas.
A satellite firm's orbital photographs dated 21 December shows the tanker is in the vicinity of the port of Galveston, while AIS ship-tracking data from a maritime data service currently places the vessel about 80km from the coast.
The Skipper was seized by American officials on the tenth of December and has been blacklisted by several nations. At the time it was seized, it was incorrectly flying the ensign of the nation of Guyana.
This seizure was succeeded by the interception of a another tanker, the Centuries. This ship – in contrast to the first vessel – was not yet under official restrictions when it was brought under US custody.
American agencies are now targeting a third ship, which has been identified by the maritime risk 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 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 diesel left unless her speed decreases”.
The group further stated the tanker is “likely traveling south-east towards the South African coast”.
