Satellite Image Reveals First Venezuela-Linked Tanker Seized by US is Now Near Texas.
American agents roped onto the deck of the tanker Skipper on December 10th.
Orbital data and vessel monitoring data has confirmed that the oil tanker Skipper – the initial vessel apprehended by the US for allegedly carrying embargoed crude from Venezuela – is now positioned near of Texas.
Vantor orbital photographs dated 21 December indicates the tanker is in the vicinity of the port of Galveston, while AIS ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic presently places the vessel about 80km offshore.
The Skipper was taken into custody by US authorities on the tenth of December and has been blacklisted by multiple nations. When it was intercepted, it was incorrectly flying the flag of Guyana.
This seizure was followed by the capture of a another tanker, the Centuries tanker. It – in contrast to the Skipper – was not yet under official restrictions when it was taken into American control.
American agencies are currently pursuing a third vessel, which has been named by the maritime risk group a risk firm as the Bella 1. The US President said recently that “it will ultimately be secured”.
Writing on the social media platform X, the maritime monitoring group noted the Bella 1 has been “in transit for 39 days” and, at an average speed of 11 nautical miles per hour, may have “another 28 to 35 days of fuel left unless her velocity drops”.
The group added the vessel is “likely heading in a southeasterly direction towards South Africa”.
