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Orbital data and vessel monitoring data has verified that the crude carrier named Skipper – the initial vessel seized by the United States for reportedly carrying sanctioned oil from the Venezuelan regime – is currently positioned near of the state of Texas.

Vantor orbital photographs from 21 December indicates the ship is in the vicinity of the port of Galveston, while AIS ship-tracking feeds from a maritime data service currently places the Skipper about 50 miles offshore.

The tanker Skipper was seized by American officials on the tenth of December and has been blacklisted by several governments. At the time it was intercepted, it was incorrectly flying the ensign of Guyana.

This interception was followed by the interception of a second oil vessel, the Centuries tanker. It – in contrast to the Skipper – was not yet under sanctions when it was taken into US custody.

American agencies are now pursuing a third such vessel, which has been named by the maritime risk group Vanguard as the Bella 1. The US President said recently that “we’ll end up getting it”.

Writing on the social media platform 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 fuel left unless her velocity decreases”.

The group added the tanker is “probably heading in a southeasterly direction towards South Africa”.