Joyce Mmereole Okoli
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has dismissed media reports suggesting that a Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC), Skipper, recently intercepted by the United States Coast Guard and the U.S. Navy, is Nigerian-owned or linked to crude oil theft originating from the country.
In a statement on Friday, NIMASA clarified that the vessel, with IMO Number 9304667, is not Nigerian-flagged, and its alleged owners, Thomarose Global Ventures Limited, are not registered with the Agency as a shipping company.
According to NIMASA, an analysis of the vessel’s movement conducted through its Command, Control, Communication, Computers and Intelligence (C4i) Centre revealed that the Skipper was last seen in Nigerian waters on July 1, 2024.
After its departure, the tanker followed an international voyage route, operating in the Arabian Sea and later in the Caribbean, where it was eventually intercepted by U.S. authorities.
The Agency also noted that the vessel has changed ownership and names multiple times, having once belonged to Triton Navigation Corp.
Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, assured of the Agency’s ongoing cooperation with U.S. authorities and other partners in the investigation. He reiterated that any form of maritime criminality would not be tolerated within Nigeria’s territorial waters.
“NIMASA remains committed to ensuring the integrity of our maritime domain and will continue working with international stakeholders to combat transnational crimes,” Mobereola stated.