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Orbital data and vessel monitoring information has confirmed that the crude carrier Skipper – the first vessel seized by the US for reportedly transporting embargoed oil from the Venezuelan regime – is now positioned near of Texas.

A satellite firm's orbital photographs from 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 places the vessel about 50 miles from the coast.

The Skipper was taken into custody by American officials on the tenth of December and has been sanctioned by several nations. At the time it was intercepted, it was falsely flying the ensign of the nation of Guyana.

This seizure was followed by the interception of a second tanker, the Centuries tanker. This ship – in contrast to the first vessel – was not under official restrictions when it was brought under American control.

American agencies are currently pursuing a third such ship, which has been named by the maritime risk group a risk firm as the Bella 1. The US President stated recently that “we’ll end up getting it”.

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

The group further stated the vessel is “probably traveling south-east towards the South African coast”.