The management of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) recently said that its attention has been drawn to media reports stating that the US Coast Guard, in collaboration with the US Navy, intercepted the very large crude carrier (VLCC) Skipper with IMO Number 9304667, which has been alleged to be Nigerian-owned and involved in crude oil theft and other transnational crimes.
NIMASA has issued a statement to put on record that the VLCC is not a Nigerian-flagged vessel, and its purported owner, Thomarose Global Ventures, is not registered with NIMASA as a shipping company.
An analysis of the vessel’s movement, monitored through the agency’s command, control, communication, computers and intelligence centre, shows that the vessel was last sighted in Nigerian waters on July 1, 2024.
After departing Nigerian waters, the vessel continued on its international voyage pattern and was tracked operating in the Arabian Sea (Asia) and later in the Caribbean region, where the US interdiction eventually took place.
Records indicate that Skipper, which was formerly owned by Triton Navigation Corporation, has undergone multiple name changes over time.
NIMASA Director Dr Dayo Mobereola has stated that the agency is committed to collaborating with all relevant stakeholders, including US authorities, in the ongoing investigations. He also emphasised that criminality will not be tolerated in Nigerian waters.
