The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has clarified that the Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC), MV Skipper, arrested by the United States Navy over alleged crude oil theft and other transnational crimes, is neither Nigerian-flagged nor registered with the agency.
Newsonspot reports that in a statement released by NIMASA, the agency dismissed reports suggesting that the vessel is Nigerian-owned. It stated that the purported owners of the ship, Thomarose Global Ventures Limited, are not registered with NIMASA as a shipping company.
Speaking on the matter, NIMASA’s Head of Public Relations, Edward Osagie, said the agency’s attention was drawn to media reports claiming that the United States Coast Guard, in collaboration with the U.S. Navy, intercepted the VLCC Skipper with IMO Number 9304667, allegedly owned by Nigerians and linked to crude oil theft.
Osagie stressed that the vessel is not a Nigerian-flagged ship and has no registration ties with NIMASA. He added that an analysis of the vessel’s movement, monitored through the agency’s Command, Control, Communication, Computers and Intelligence (C4i) Centre, showed that the ship was last sighted in Nigerian waters on July 1, 2024.
According to NIMASA, after leaving Nigerian waters, the vessel followed an international voyage pattern, operating in the Arabian Sea in Asia before moving to the Caribbean region, where it was eventually intercepted by U.S. authorities.
The agency also revealed that records show the MV Skipper was previously owned by Triton Navigation Corp and has undergone several name changes over time.
Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Very Large Crude Carrier, VLCC, MV Skipper, Thomarose Global Ventures Limited, Head of Public Relations, Edward Osagie, Nigerian Maritime, Crude Oil Theft, United States Coast Guard, US Navy, Maritime Security, Shipping News, Newsonspot
