Imagery Data Shows Initial Venezuela-Linked Tanker Seized by US is Currently Near Texas.
US personnel boarding the vessel of the Skipper on 10 December.
Orbital data and vessel monitoring information has confirmed that the oil tanker named Skipper – the initial vessel apprehended by the United States for allegedly transporting sanctioned oil from the Venezuelan regime – is now positioned near of the state of Texas.
A satellite firm's orbital photographs dated 21 December shows the tanker is near the port of Galveston, while AIS vessel-tracking data from a maritime data service currently places the vessel about 80km from the coast.
The tanker Skipper was seized by US authorities on the tenth of December and has been sanctioned by multiple governments. At the time it was seized, it was incorrectly flying the ensign of Guyana.
This seizure was followed by the capture of a another tanker, the Centuries. This ship – unlike the first vessel – was not yet under sanctions when it was taken into American control.
US authorities are currently pursuing a third vessel, which has been named by the risk management group Vanguard as the Bella 1. President Donald Trump stated yesterday that “we’ll end up getting it”.
Writing on the social media platform X, the TankerTrackers group said the vessel 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 diesel left unless her speed drops”.
The monitoring service added the tanker is “likely heading in a southeasterly direction towards the South African coast”.