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Satellite imagery and ship tracking data has confirmed that the oil tanker Skipper – the first vessel seized by the United States for allegedly transporting sanctioned oil from the Venezuelan regime – is currently positioned near of the state of Texas.

A satellite firm's orbital photographs from 21 December indicates the tanker is near the port of Galveston, while Automatic Identification System vessel-tracking data from a maritime data service presently places the vessel about 50 miles from the coast.

The Skipper was seized by American officials on 10 December and has been blacklisted by multiple governments. When it was intercepted, it was falsely flying the ensign of the nation of Guyana.

This interception was succeeded by the capture of a second tanker, the Centuries tanker. It – in contrast to the Skipper – was not under sanctions when it was brought under American control.

US authorities are currently pursuing a third such vessel, which has been identified by the maritime risk group a risk firm as the Bella 1. President Donald Trump stated recently 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 knots, may have “approximately a month of fuel remaining unless her speed drops”.

The group further stated the tanker is “likely traveling south-east towards the South African coast”.