Imagery Image Reveals First Venezuela-Linked Oil Ship Confiscated by American Authorities is Currently Off the Texas Coast.

US personnel boarding a tanker deck

American agents roped onto the deck of the tanker Skipper on 10 December.

Orbital data and vessel monitoring data has confirmed that the oil tanker Skipper – the initial vessel seized by the US for reportedly carrying sanctioned crude from Venezuela – is now off the coast of the state of Texas.

A satellite firm's satellite imagery from 21 December shows the tanker is in the vicinity of Galveston, while Automatic Identification System ship-tracking data from a maritime data service currently positions the Skipper about 50 miles from the coast.

The tanker Skipper was seized by American officials on the tenth of December and has been sanctioned by multiple nations. When it was intercepted, it was incorrectly flying the ensign of the nation of Guyana.

This seizure was succeeded by the capture of a second oil vessel, the Centuries tanker. It – in contrast to the first vessel – was not under sanctions when it was taken into American control.

American agencies are now targeting a third ship, which has been named 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 X, the maritime monitoring 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 diesel left unless her speed decreases”.

The group further stated the vessel is “likely traveling in a southeasterly direction towards South Africa”.

Thomas Peterson
Thomas Peterson

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