🔗 Share this article Imagery Data Shows First Venezuela-Linked Oil Ship Seized by US is Now Near the Texas Coast. US personnel roped onto the deck of the Skipper on December 10th. Orbital data and ship tracking data has confirmed that the crude carrier Skipper – the initial vessel apprehended by the United States for reportedly transporting sanctioned oil from Venezuela – is currently off the coast of Texas. A satellite firm's orbital photographs from 21 December shows the tanker is in the vicinity of the port of Galveston, while Automatic Identification System vessel-tracking data from a maritime data service presently positions the Skipper about 80km from the coast. The Skipper was seized by US authorities on the tenth of December and has been blacklisted by several governments. At the time it was seized, it was incorrectly flying the ensign of the nation of Guyana. This interception was followed by the capture of a second tanker, the Centuries. This ship – unlike the first vessel – was not under official restrictions when it was brought under US custody. US authorities are currently targeting a third such vessel, which has been identified by the risk management group Vanguard as the Bella 1 tanker. President Donald Trump said recently that “it will ultimately be secured”. Writing on X, the TankerTrackers group said the Bella 1 has been “underway for over a month” and, at an typical pace of 11 knots, may have “another 28 to 35 days of fuel left unless her speed drops”. The group further stated the tanker is “likely heading south-east towards the South African coast”.