Satellite Data Reveals Initial Venezuela-Linked Tanker Confiscated by US is Now Off the Texas Coast.
American agents boarding the vessel of the Skipper on 10 December.
Orbital data and ship tracking information has verified that the crude carrier Skipper – the initial vessel seized by the United States for reportedly carrying embargoed crude from the Venezuelan regime – is now off the coast of the state of Texas.
Vantor satellite imagery from 21 December indicates the ship is near Galveston, while AIS vessel-tracking data from a maritime data service currently places the Skipper about 80km offshore.
The tanker Skipper was seized by American officials on 10 December and has been sanctioned by several governments. At the time it was intercepted, it was incorrectly sailing under the flag of the nation of Guyana.
This seizure was followed by the interception of a another tanker, the Centuries. This ship – unlike the Skipper – was not yet under sanctions when it was taken into US custody.
US authorities are currently pursuing a third ship, which has been named by the risk management group Vanguard as the Bella 1 tanker. President Donald Trump stated recently that “we’ll end up getting it”.
Writing on the social media platform 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 drops”.
The group further stated the tanker is “probably heading south-east towards the South African coast”.
