The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has debunked media reports claiming that the United States Coast Guard, working with the U.S. Navy, intercepted a Nigerian-owned Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC), Skipper, allegedly involved in crude oil theft and other transnational crimes.
The Agency clarified that the VLCC Skipper, with IMO Number 9304667, is not a Nigerian-flagged vessel.
It added that the company purportedly linked to the ship, Thomarose Global Ventures Limited, is not registered with NIMASA as a shipping company.
This was contained in a statement signed by the agency’s Deputy Director and Head of Public Relations, Osagie Edward on Friday.
According to NIMASA, an analysis of the vessel’s movement, monitored through its Command, Control, Communication, Computers and Intelligence (C4i) Centre, showed that the vessel was last sighted in Nigerian waters on 1 July 2024.
The Agency explained that after leaving Nigeria, the vessel continued its international voyage pattern, operating in the Arabian Sea in Asia and later in the Caribbean region, where the U.S. interdiction occurred.
NIMASA further noted that the Skipper, formerly owned by Triton Navigation Corp, had undergone multiple name changes over time.
Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to cooperating with relevant stakeholders, including U.S. authorities, in ongoing investigations. He stressed that criminality would not be tolerated in Nigerian waters.
