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Satellite imagery and vessel monitoring data has confirmed that the crude carrier Skipper – the initial vessel seized by the United States for reportedly transporting embargoed oil from Venezuela – is currently positioned near of Texas.

Vantor orbital photographs dated 21 December indicates the tanker is in the vicinity of Galveston, while AIS ship-tracking data from a maritime data service presently positions the vessel about 50 miles offshore.

The tanker Skipper was seized by US authorities on the tenth of December and has been sanctioned by several governments. At the time it was seized, it was incorrectly sailing under the ensign of Guyana.

This seizure was followed by the capture of a another tanker, the Centuries. This ship – in contrast to the Skipper – was not under official restrictions when it was taken into US custody.

American agencies are now pursuing a third such vessel, which has been identified by the maritime risk group Vanguard as the Bella 1. President Donald Trump stated recently that “it will ultimately be secured”.

Writing on the social media platform X, the TankerTrackers group noted the vessel Bella 1 has been “underway for over a month” and, at an average speed of 11 nautical miles per hour, may have “another 28 to 35 days of diesel remaining unless her velocity decreases”.

The group added the tanker is “likely heading south-east towards South Africa”.