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Orbital data and vessel monitoring information has verified that the crude carrier Skipper – the initial vessel apprehended by the US for reportedly carrying sanctioned oil from the Venezuelan regime – is now off the coast of the state of Texas.

Vantor satellite imagery dated 21 December indicates the ship is near the port of Galveston, while Automatic Identification System ship-tracking feeds from a maritime data service currently positions the vessel about 80km offshore.

The tanker Skipper was taken into custody by American officials on the tenth of December and has been sanctioned by several nations. When it was intercepted, it was incorrectly sailing under the flag of Guyana.

This seizure was succeeded by the interception of a another tanker, the Centuries. This ship – in contrast to the Skipper – was not under official restrictions when it was brought under US custody.

American agencies are now pursuing a third vessel, which has been identified by the risk management group a risk firm as the Bella 1 tanker. President Donald Trump stated yesterday that “we’ll end up getting it”.

Writing on X, the TankerTrackers group said the Bella 1 has been “underway for over a month” and, at an average speed of 11 nautical miles per hour, may have “approximately a month of diesel remaining unless her velocity drops”.

The group further stated the vessel is “likely heading south-east towards the South African coast”.