🔗 Share this article Imagery Image Shows Initial Venezuela-Linked Oil Ship Seized by US is Currently Near the Texas Coast. US agents boarding the vessel of the tanker Skipper on 10 December. Orbital data and vessel monitoring information has confirmed that the oil tanker Skipper – the first vessel seized by the United States for allegedly carrying sanctioned crude from Venezuela – is currently positioned near of Texas. Vantor satellite imagery dated 21 December indicates the tanker is in the vicinity of the port of Galveston, while AIS vessel-tracking feeds from a maritime data service currently positions the vessel about 80km offshore. The Skipper was seized by American officials on the tenth of December and has been sanctioned by multiple governments. At the time it was seized, it was incorrectly sailing under the ensign of Guyana. This interception was followed by the interception of a second tanker, the Centuries. This ship – in contrast to the first vessel – was not yet under official restrictions when it was taken into US custody. US authorities are currently pursuing a third ship, which has been identified by the maritime risk group Vanguard as the Bella 1 tanker. The US President said recently that “we’ll end up getting it”. Writing on X, the TankerTrackers group said the Bella 1 has been “in transit for 39 days” and, at an average speed of 11 knots, may have “approximately a month of diesel remaining unless her velocity drops”. The monitoring service further stated the vessel is “likely heading south-east towards the South African coast”.