Satellite Data Reveals Initial Venezuelan Oil Ship Confiscated by US is Currently Near Texas.
US personnel roped onto the deck of the Skipper on 10 December.
Satellite imagery and vessel monitoring data has verified that the crude carrier Skipper – the initial vessel seized by the US for allegedly transporting sanctioned oil from Venezuela – is currently off the coast of the state of Texas.
Vantor satellite imagery dated 21 December shows the ship is in the vicinity of the port of Galveston, while AIS vessel-tracking data from a maritime data service currently places the vessel about 80km offshore.
The Skipper was seized by US authorities on 10 December and has been sanctioned by several nations. When it was intercepted, it was incorrectly flying the flag of the nation of Guyana.
This interception was succeeded by the interception of a second oil vessel, the Centuries tanker. It – unlike the first vessel – was not under official restrictions when it was brought under American control.
US authorities are currently targeting a third such ship, which has been identified by the maritime risk group a risk firm as the Bella 1 tanker. The US President stated yesterday that “we’ll end up getting it”.
Writing on the social media platform X, the maritime monitoring group noted the vessel Bella 1 has been “underway for over a month” and, at an average speed of 11 knots, may have “approximately a month of diesel remaining unless her speed decreases”.
The group added the vessel is “likely traveling south-east towards the South African coast”.
