Imagery Image Shows Initial Venezuelan Tanker Seized by American Authorities is Currently Off Texas.

Orbital data and ship tracking information has verified that the oil tanker named Skipper – the initial vessel apprehended by the United States for reportedly carrying embargoed oil from Venezuela – is currently positioned near of the state of Texas.

A satellite firm's orbital photographs dated 21 December shows the ship is in the vicinity of the port of Galveston, while AIS vessel-tracking data from a maritime data service presently positions the Skipper about 50 miles from the coast.

The tanker Skipper was seized by American officials on 10 December and has been sanctioned by several nations. At the time it was seized, it was incorrectly sailing under the flag of the nation of Guyana.

This seizure was succeeded by the capture of a second tanker, the Centuries tanker. This ship – in contrast to the first vessel – was not yet under official restrictions when it was brought under US custody.

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

Writing on the social media platform X, the TankerTrackers group said the Bella 1 has been “underway for 39 days” and, at an average speed of 11 knots, may have “approximately a month of diesel left unless her speed decreases”.

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