Imagery Image Shows First Venezuela-Linked Oil Ship Confiscated by American Authorities is Currently Near the Texas Coast.

Orbital data and vessel monitoring data has confirmed that the oil tanker Skipper – the initial vessel apprehended by the United States for allegedly carrying embargoed oil from the Venezuelan regime – is currently positioned near of the state of Texas.

Vantor satellite imagery from 21 December shows the tanker is in the vicinity of the port of Galveston, while Automatic Identification System vessel-tracking data from a maritime data service currently places the vessel about 80km from the coast.

The tanker Skipper was taken into custody by US authorities on 10 December and has been sanctioned by several nations. When it was seized, it was falsely flying the ensign of the nation of Guyana.

This interception was followed by the interception of a second oil vessel, the Centuries tanker. This ship – in contrast to the first vessel – was not under sanctions when it was brought under American control.

US authorities are currently pursuing a third vessel, which has been identified by the maritime risk group a risk firm as the Bella 1 tanker. The US President stated yesterday that “it will ultimately be secured”.

Writing on X, the maritime monitoring group noted the vessel Bella 1 has been “in transit for over a month” and, at an typical pace of 11 nautical miles per hour, may have “approximately a month of diesel remaining unless her velocity decreases”.

The group further stated the tanker is “probably heading south-east towards South Africa”.