NIMASA Clears Air On Seized ‘Skipper’ Tanker, Says Vessel Not Nigerian-Flagged
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has firmly denied any Nigerian ownership or flagging of the Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) Skipper (IMO Number 9304667), which the United States Coast Guard and U.S. Navy recently intercepted over alleged crude oil theft and transnational crimes.
In a statement, NIMASA clarified that Skipper is not a Nigerian-flagged vessel, noting that its purported owners, Thomarose Global Ventures Limited, are not registered with the agency as a shipping company.
According to the statement, the apex maritime regulatory agency monitoring via its Command, Control, Communication, Computers and Intelligence (C4i) Centre tracked the vessel’s last appearance in Nigerian waters on July 1, 2024.
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” It then followed an international route through the Arabian Sea in Asia and into the Caribbean, where the U.S. interdiction occurred.”The statement signed by Edward Osagie, spokesman of NIMASA disclosed on Friday December 12 ,2025.
Records show Skipper, previously owned by Triton Navigation Corp., has a history of multiple name changes.
NIMASA Director General Dr. Dayo Mobereola pledged full collaboration with U.S. authorities and other stakeholders in the investigations.
“Criminality will not be tolerated in Nigerian waters,” he emphasized.