Satellite Data Shows First Venezuela-Linked Oil Ship Confiscated by American Authorities is Now Off Texas.
American agents boarding the deck of the tanker Skipper on 10 December.
Orbital data and vessel monitoring data has verified that the oil tanker Skipper – the first vessel apprehended by the United States for allegedly transporting embargoed crude from the Venezuelan regime – is currently off the coast of the state of Texas.
A satellite firm's satellite imagery from 21 December shows the ship is in the vicinity of Galveston, while AIS ship-tracking feeds from a maritime data service presently positions the vessel about 50 miles from the coast.
The Skipper was taken into custody by US authorities on 10 December and has been blacklisted by multiple nations. When it was intercepted, it was incorrectly flying the ensign of Guyana.
This interception was succeeded by the capture of a second tanker, the Centuries tanker. It – in contrast to the Skipper – was not yet under official restrictions when it was brought under US custody.
US authorities are currently pursuing a third vessel, which has been identified by the maritime risk group Vanguard as the Bella 1. President Donald Trump said yesterday that “we’ll end up getting it”.
Writing on X, the TankerTrackers group noted the Bella 1 has been “underway for 39 days” and, at an average speed of 11 nautical miles per hour, may have “another 28 to 35 days of fuel remaining unless her velocity drops”.
The group further stated the vessel is “likely heading in a southeasterly direction towards South Africa”.
