🔗 Share this article

Orbital data and vessel monitoring data has verified that the oil tanker named Skipper – the initial vessel seized by the US for allegedly transporting sanctioned oil from Venezuela – is currently off the coast of Texas.

A satellite firm's satellite imagery dated 21 December indicates the tanker is in the vicinity of the port of Galveston, while AIS vessel-tracking data from MarineTraffic currently places the Skipper about 80km offshore.

The tanker Skipper was taken into custody by American officials on 10 December and has been blacklisted by multiple governments. When it was seized, it was falsely sailing under the flag of Guyana.

This seizure was followed by the interception of a another oil vessel, the Centuries tanker. It – in contrast to the first vessel – was not under sanctions when it was taken into American control.

US authorities are currently pursuing a third vessel, which has been identified by the maritime risk group Vanguard as the Bella 1. The US President said recently that “it will ultimately be secured”.

Writing on X, the maritime monitoring group noted the 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 drops”.

The group further stated the tanker is “likely heading south-east towards the South African coast”.