🔗 Share this article Satellite Image Shows Initial Venezuela-Linked Tanker Seized by American Authorities is Now Near the Texas Coast. US agents roped onto the deck of the Skipper on 10 December. Orbital data and ship tracking data has verified that the crude carrier named Skipper – the initial vessel seized by the US for reportedly transporting sanctioned oil from Venezuela – is currently positioned near of the state of Texas. A satellite firm's orbital photographs from 21 December indicates the ship is near the port of Galveston, while AIS ship-tracking data from a maritime data service currently places the Skipper about 80km offshore. The tanker Skipper was taken into custody by US authorities on 10 December and has been sanctioned by several nations. When it was seized, it was falsely flying the flag of the nation of Guyana. This interception was succeeded by the capture of a another tanker, the Centuries. It – unlike the Skipper – was not under sanctions when it was taken into American control. US authorities are currently targeting a third ship, which has been identified by the maritime risk group Vanguard as the Bella 1. President Donald Trump stated recently that “it will ultimately be secured”. Writing on X, the TankerTrackers group said the vessel 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 diesel left unless her velocity drops”. The monitoring service further stated the vessel is “probably heading in a southeasterly direction towards South Africa”.