From Iran to China to Venezuela - how tanker seized by US hid true location

BBC News - WorldCenterEN 4 min read 100% complete December 11, 2025 at 04:03 PM

AI Summary

long article 4 min

The US seized the oil tanker Skipper near Venezuela after a helicopter raid on Wednesday. Tracking data reveals the ship, previously named Adisa and sanctioned by the US Treasury in 2022, had a history of concealing its location and falsifying its position via its onboard tracker. The Skipper is suspected of being part of a "dark fleet" evading oil sanctions by obscuring its identity and travel history. Public tracking data is incomplete, but the ship's last declared port call was in Iran in July. Experts suggest the Skipper loaded crude oil from Venezuela and Iran while falsifying its location, a practice known as spoofing. The Guyanese government stated the ship was falsely flying its flag.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Guyana 40% United States ×250% Iran 60% Venezuela ×270% Pam Bondi 80%

Keywords

oil tanker seizure 90% sanctions evasion 80% ship tracking 70% dark fleet 70% ais spoofing 60% oil smuggling 60% iran 50% us sanctions 50% venezuela 50%