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Orbital data and vessel monitoring information has verified that the crude carrier Skipper – the first vessel apprehended by the US for allegedly transporting sanctioned crude from the Venezuelan regime – is currently off the coast of Texas.

A satellite firm's satellite imagery from 21 December shows the ship is near Galveston, while AIS ship-tracking feeds from a maritime data service presently positions the vessel about 50 miles offshore.

The tanker Skipper was taken into custody by American officials on 10 December and has been sanctioned by multiple nations. At the time it was intercepted, it was incorrectly sailing under the flag of Guyana.

This seizure was succeeded by the capture of a another oil vessel, the Centuries. It – in contrast to the Skipper – was not yet under sanctions when it was brought under US custody.

American agencies are currently targeting a third such ship, which has been identified by the risk management group a risk firm as the Bella 1. The US President said yesterday that “we’ll end up getting it”.

Writing on X, the maritime monitoring group said the vessel 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 left unless her speed decreases”.

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