🔗 Share this article Satellite Data Reveals Initial Venezuela-Linked Oil Ship Confiscated by American Authorities is Now Near the Texas Coast. American agents boarding the deck of the Skipper on 10 December. Orbital data and ship tracking information has confirmed that the oil tanker Skipper – the initial vessel apprehended by the US for allegedly carrying embargoed oil from the Venezuelan regime – is now off the coast of Texas. A satellite firm's satellite imagery from 21 December shows the ship is in the vicinity of Galveston, while AIS vessel-tracking feeds from a maritime data service currently positions the Skipper about 50 miles from the coast. The Skipper was taken into custody by US authorities on the tenth of December and has been blacklisted by multiple nations. At the time it was seized, it was incorrectly flying the flag of Guyana. This interception was followed by the capture of a another tanker, the Centuries tanker. This ship – unlike the Skipper – was not yet under official restrictions when it was brought under US custody. US authorities are now pursuing a third ship, which has been identified by the maritime risk group Vanguard as the Bella 1 tanker. President Donald Trump stated recently that “it will ultimately be secured”. Writing on X, the TankerTrackers group noted the vessel Bella 1 has been “in transit for 39 days” and, at an average speed of 11 knots, may have “another 28 to 35 days of diesel remaining unless her velocity decreases”. The group further stated the tanker is “likely traveling south-east towards South Africa”.