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Orbital data and vessel monitoring data has verified that the crude carrier Skipper – the initial vessel seized by the US for allegedly carrying embargoed crude from Venezuela – is currently positioned near of the state of Texas.

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

The tanker Skipper was seized by American officials on 10 December and has been blacklisted by multiple nations. At the time it was intercepted, it was falsely sailing under the flag of the nation of Guyana.

This seizure was followed by the interception of a another oil vessel, the Centuries. This ship – unlike the Skipper – was not yet under sanctions when it was brought under American control.

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

Writing on the social media platform X, the maritime monitoring group said the Bella 1 has been “in transit for over a month” and, at an average speed of 11 nautical miles per hour, may have “approximately a month of fuel remaining unless her speed decreases”.

The group added the vessel is “likely heading in a southeasterly direction towards the South African coast”.