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Satellite imagery and ship tracking data has verified that the oil tanker Skipper – the first vessel seized by the US for reportedly transporting embargoed oil from Venezuela – is now off the coast of the state of Texas.

Vantor satellite imagery from 21 December shows the ship is near Galveston, while AIS ship-tracking feeds from a maritime data service currently places the Skipper about 80km offshore.

The Skipper was seized by US authorities on 10 December and has been blacklisted by multiple governments. When it was seized, it was incorrectly sailing under the flag of the nation of Guyana.

This interception was followed by the interception of a second tanker, the Centuries. It – unlike the first vessel – was not yet under sanctions when it was taken into American control.

American agencies are now pursuing a third vessel, which has been identified by the maritime risk group a risk firm as the Bella 1. The US President stated yesterday that “we’ll end up getting it”.

Writing on the social media platform X, the maritime monitoring group said the Bella 1 has been “underway for over a month” and, at an average speed of 11 knots, may have “another 28 to 35 days of diesel remaining unless her velocity drops”.

The group added the vessel is “likely traveling in a southeasterly direction towards the South African coast”.