Satellite Data Shows First Venezuelan Oil Ship Seized by US is Currently Near Texas.
American personnel roped onto the vessel of the tanker Skipper on December 10th.
Satellite imagery and vessel monitoring data has confirmed that the crude carrier Skipper – the initial vessel seized by the United States for reportedly transporting embargoed oil 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 AIS ship-tracking data from a maritime data service presently positions the vessel about 50 miles offshore.
The Skipper was taken into custody by American officials on the tenth of December and has been sanctioned by multiple governments. At the time it was seized, it was incorrectly sailing under the flag of Guyana.
This interception was succeeded by the interception of a second oil vessel, the Centuries. This ship – unlike the first vessel – was not yet under sanctions when it was taken into American control.
American agencies are now targeting a third vessel, which has been named by the maritime risk group a risk firm as the Bella 1. The US President stated recently that “it will ultimately be secured”.
Writing on the social media platform X, the TankerTrackers group noted the vessel Bella 1 has been “underway for 39 days” and, at an average speed of 11 nautical miles per hour, may have “approximately a month of diesel left unless her speed drops”.
The group added the tanker is “likely heading south-east towards South Africa”.
