Satellite Data Shows Initial Venezuela-Linked Oil Ship Confiscated by US is Currently Off the Texas Coast.

Orbital data and vessel monitoring information has confirmed that the oil tanker named Skipper – the initial vessel seized by the United States for allegedly transporting sanctioned oil from Venezuela – is currently positioned near of Texas.

A satellite firm's orbital photographs from 21 December indicates the tanker is near Galveston, while AIS vessel-tracking feeds from MarineTraffic presently places the vessel about 80km offshore.

The Skipper was seized by US authorities on the tenth of December and has been sanctioned by several governments. When it was intercepted, it was falsely flying the ensign of the nation of Guyana.

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

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

Writing on X, the maritime monitoring group said the vessel Bella 1 has been “in transit for over a month” and, at an average speed of 11 nautical miles per hour, may have “another 28 to 35 days of diesel left unless her speed drops”.

The monitoring service added the vessel is “likely traveling south-east towards the South African coast”.