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Orbital data and vessel monitoring information has confirmed that the crude carrier named Skipper – the first vessel apprehended by the United States for allegedly transporting embargoed oil from the Venezuelan regime – is currently off the coast of Texas.

A satellite firm's satellite imagery dated 21 December indicates the ship is near the port of Galveston, while Automatic Identification System vessel-tracking data from a maritime data service currently places the vessel about 50 miles from the coast.

The Skipper was seized by US authorities on the tenth of December and has been sanctioned by several nations. At the time it was seized, it was falsely sailing under the flag of Guyana.

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

American agencies are now targeting a third such vessel, which has been identified by the maritime risk group a risk firm as the Bella 1. President Donald Trump said recently that “we’ll end up getting it”.

Writing on X, the maritime monitoring group noted the Bella 1 has been “underway for over a month” and, at an typical pace of 11 knots, may have “another 28 to 35 days of diesel remaining unless her velocity decreases”.

The group added the tanker is “probably heading south-east towards the South African coast”.