Ship tracking data reveals that an oil tanker, seized by the United States for carrying Venezuelan crude oil, is going to 'transfer' the crude oil to a smaller vessel near the Texas coast which can then take it to shore. Last month, the United States sought to acquire the supertanker Skipper as well as the 1.8 million barrels Venezuelan oil that it carried when it was captured in December. The first oil tanker to be seized was in December as part of the U.S. pressure campaign against Nicolas Maduro. He was captured by the Venezuelan government the following month.

Ship tracking data from LSEG and Kpler indicated that the medium-sized vessel PVT Poseidon headed towards the Skipper in order to transfer a portion of crude oil. It is expected to then navigate to the shore. The Skipper was too big to pass through the Houston Ship Channel, and has been anchored near Galveston ever since it was seized.

The United States wants to forfeit the tanker. This is a legal process where the government seizes the vessel and its cargo permanently without compensation because of violations like sanctions or smuggling. According to an analysis, U.S. forces intercepted ten tankers since December. At least two were released to the interim Venezuelan Government.

Oil from seized ships is usually sold and proceeds go to fund victims of state-sponsored terror in the United States. Many of the seized Venezuelan-linked tankers were older than 20 years and lacked adequate insurance. According to sources in the shipping and insurance industry, it is difficult or impossible to establish insurance claims or liability if there's a collision, or an oil spill.

Sources said that the age of the tankers is above the 15-year industry standard, and this raises concerns about possible environmental damage. Reporting by Arathy S. Somasekhar, Houston; editing by Will Dunham

(source: Reuters)