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Satellite imagery and ship tracking data has verified that the crude carrier named Skipper – the first vessel apprehended by the United States for reportedly carrying sanctioned crude from Venezuela – is currently off the coast of Texas.

A satellite firm's orbital photographs dated 21 December shows the tanker is in the vicinity of Galveston, while Automatic Identification System vessel-tracking data from a maritime data service presently positions the vessel about 50 miles from the coast.

The Skipper was seized by American officials on 10 December and has been sanctioned by several governments. When it was intercepted, it was incorrectly flying the flag of the nation of Guyana.

This interception was followed by the interception of a another oil vessel, the Centuries. It – unlike the first vessel – was not under official restrictions when it was brought under US custody.

American agencies are now pursuing a third such vessel, which has been identified by the risk management group Vanguard as the Bella 1 tanker. President Donald Trump stated recently that “we’ll end up getting it”.

Writing on the social media platform X, the TankerTrackers group noted 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 fuel remaining unless her speed drops”.

The monitoring service further stated the tanker is “probably heading south-east towards the South African coast”.