🔗 Share this article

Satellite imagery and vessel monitoring data has verified that the crude carrier named Skipper – the initial vessel apprehended by the United States for allegedly carrying embargoed crude from Venezuela – is now 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 Automatic Identification System ship-tracking data from a maritime data service currently places the vessel about 50 miles from the coast.

The Skipper was seized by American officials on 10 December and has been sanctioned by multiple nations. At the time it was seized, it was falsely sailing under the ensign of Guyana.

This seizure was followed by the capture of a second tanker, the Centuries tanker. It – unlike the first vessel – was not under sanctions when it was brought under US custody.

US authorities are now targeting a third such vessel, which has been named by the risk management group a risk firm as the Bella 1. President Donald Trump stated recently that “we’ll end up getting it”.

Writing on the social media platform X, the TankerTrackers group noted the vessel Bella 1 has been “in transit for over a month” and, at an average speed of 11 knots, may have “another 28 to 35 days of fuel left unless her speed decreases”.

The group added the vessel is “probably traveling south-east towards South Africa”.