🔗 Share this article Satellite Image Reveals Initial Venezuela-Linked Oil Ship Seized by American Authorities is Currently Off Texas. American agents boarding the vessel of the tanker Skipper on December 10th. Satellite imagery and vessel monitoring data has verified that the crude carrier Skipper – the first vessel seized by the US for allegedly transporting sanctioned crude from Venezuela – is now off the coast of Texas. A satellite firm's satellite imagery from 21 December shows the ship is near Galveston, while AIS vessel-tracking data from MarineTraffic presently places the vessel about 80km offshore. The Skipper was taken into custody by American officials on 10 December and has been sanctioned by several governments. At the time it was intercepted, it was falsely sailing under the flag of the nation of Guyana. This seizure was succeeded by the capture of a second tanker, the Centuries tanker. This ship – in contrast to the Skipper – was not under sanctions when it was taken into American control. American agencies are currently pursuing a third such vessel, which has been identified by the maritime risk group Vanguard as the Bella 1 tanker. The US President stated yesterday that “we’ll end up getting it”. Writing on X, the maritime monitoring group said the Bella 1 has been “underway for 39 days” and, at an average speed of 11 nautical miles per hour, may have “another 28 to 35 days of diesel left unless her velocity decreases”. The monitoring service further stated the tanker is “likely heading south-east towards South Africa”.