Satellite Image Reveals Initial Venezuela-Linked Oil Ship Seized by US is Currently Near the Texas Coast.

Satellite imagery and vessel monitoring data has confirmed that the oil tanker named Skipper – the initial vessel apprehended by the United States for allegedly transporting sanctioned crude from Venezuela – is now off the coast of the state of Texas.

Vantor satellite imagery from 21 December shows the ship is near Galveston, while Automatic Identification System vessel-tracking feeds from MarineTraffic presently positions the Skipper about 80km from the coast.

The Skipper was taken into custody by US authorities on the tenth of December and has been blacklisted by multiple governments. When it was intercepted, it was incorrectly flying the ensign of Guyana.

This seizure was succeeded by the capture of a another oil vessel, the Centuries. It – unlike the Skipper – was not yet under sanctions when it was taken into US custody.

American agencies are now pursuing a third ship, which has been named by the risk management group a risk firm as the Bella 1. The US President said recently that “it will ultimately be secured”.

Writing on the social media platform X, the maritime monitoring group said the vessel Bella 1 has been “underway for 39 days” and, at an typical pace of 11 knots, may have “approximately a month of fuel left unless her velocity decreases”.

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