Satellite Data Shows First Venezuelan Tanker Confiscated by US is Currently Near the Texas Coast.

Orbital data and vessel monitoring information has confirmed that the crude carrier named Skipper – the initial vessel seized by the US for reportedly carrying sanctioned oil from Venezuela – is currently off the coast of Texas.

Vantor orbital photographs from 21 December shows the tanker is near the port of Galveston, while AIS ship-tracking feeds from a maritime data service presently positions the vessel about 80km from the coast.

The Skipper was taken into custody by American officials on the tenth of December and has been blacklisted by multiple nations. When it was intercepted, it was falsely sailing under the flag of Guyana.

This interception was succeeded by the interception of a second oil vessel, the Centuries. This ship – unlike the Skipper – was not yet under official restrictions when it was brought under American control.

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

Writing on X, the TankerTrackers group said the Bella 1 has been “in transit for 39 days” and, at an average speed of 11 nautical miles per hour, may have “approximately a month of fuel remaining unless her speed decreases”.

The monitoring service added the vessel is “likely heading south-east towards South Africa”.