Imagery Image Reveals Initial Venezuelan Tanker Seized by American Authorities is Now Off Texas.
American personnel boarding the deck of the tanker Skipper on December 10th.
Satellite imagery and vessel monitoring data has verified that the crude carrier Skipper – the first vessel apprehended by the US for reportedly carrying embargoed crude from Venezuela – is currently positioned near of the state of Texas.
A satellite firm's orbital photographs dated 21 December shows the ship is in the vicinity of Galveston, while Automatic Identification System ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic presently places the Skipper about 50 miles offshore.
The tanker Skipper was taken into custody by American officials on the tenth of December and has been sanctioned by several governments. At the time it was intercepted, it was falsely flying the ensign of the nation of Guyana.
This seizure was succeeded by the capture of a second tanker, the Centuries tanker. It – in contrast to the first vessel – was not yet under official restrictions 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 said recently that “it will ultimately be secured”.
Writing on X, the maritime monitoring group said the Bella 1 has been “underway for 39 days” and, at an average speed of 11 knots, may have “another 28 to 35 days of fuel remaining unless her velocity drops”.
The group added the tanker is “likely heading in a southeasterly direction towards the South African coast”.
