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Orbital data and ship tracking data has confirmed that the crude carrier named Skipper – the initial vessel apprehended by the United States for reportedly transporting embargoed oil from the Venezuelan regime – is currently off the coast of the state of Texas.

Vantor satellite imagery dated 21 December shows the tanker is in the vicinity of the port of Galveston, while AIS vessel-tracking data from a maritime data service presently places the vessel about 50 miles 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 interception was succeeded by the capture of a another tanker, the Centuries. This ship – in contrast to the Skipper – was not yet under sanctions when it was taken into US custody.

American agencies are currently pursuing a third such ship, which has been identified by the risk management group a risk firm as the Bella 1 tanker. The US President stated recently that “it will ultimately be secured”.

Writing on the social media platform X, the maritime monitoring group said the vessel Bella 1 has been “in transit for over a month” and, at an typical pace of 11 knots, may have “another 28 to 35 days of diesel left unless her velocity drops”.

The monitoring service further stated the vessel is “likely traveling in a southeasterly direction towards the South African coast”.