The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has confirmed that the supertanker seized by the United States Coast Guard over alleged crude oil theft last sailed into Nigerian waters in 2024 but said the vessel was neither Nigerian-flagged nor owned by any company registered with the agency.
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In a statement issued by its Head of Public Relations, Edward Osagie, NIMASA said the Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) SKIPPER, with IMO Number 9304667, was last sighted in Nigerian waters on July 1, 2024, before continuing on international voyages. The agency stressed that the vessel’s purported owners, Thomarose Global Ventures Limited, are not registered with NIMASA.
According to the statement, the SKIPPER was intercepted by the United States Coast Guard in collaboration with the US Navy following allegations of crude oil theft, piracy, and other transnational crimes. NIMASA clarified that the vessel was not Nigerian-flagged and had no formal operational ties to Nigeria.
“The VLCC SKIPPER is not a Nigerian-flagged vessel, and its purported owners, Thomarose Global Ventures Limited, were not registered with NIMASA as a shipping company,” the agency said.
NIMASA’s analysis, conducted through its Command, Control, Communication, Computers and Intelligence (C4i) Centre, showed that after departing Nigerian waters, the vessel operated across the Arabian Sea and later in the Caribbean, where it was eventually intercepted by US authorities. Records also indicate that the vessel, formerly owned by Triton Navigation Corp, had undergone multiple name changes.
Further checks revealed that the registered corporate address of Thomarose Global Services in Effurun, Warri, Delta State, does not exist, with no such company found operating at the listed location.
Tracking data reviewed by Vanguard showed that between August 13, 2024, and January 29, 2025, the vessel was sighted around Kharg Island near Iran. It later moved to Singapore, operated around Sri Lanka and Kharg Island again, and was subsequently tracked between Kharg Island and Hong Kong.
From August 13 to November 14, 2025, the SKIPPER reportedly transported crude oil to China from Venezuela’s José Terminal, where it was last sighted before its interception by US authorities. The vessel had previously been sanctioned by the US Treasury Department in 2022 for its alleged involvement in a crude oil smuggling network linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Hezbollah.
NIMASA Director-General, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to working with international partners, including US authorities, to support ongoing investigations. He stressed that criminal activities would not be tolerated in Nigerian waters.
Meanwhile, the United States, the Nigerian Navy, and other relevant agencies have commenced joint investigations into the allegations of crude oil theft and piracy. A senior maritime industry source said collaboration between US and Nigerian authorities was already underway to uncover the full circumstances surrounding the vessel’s operations.
Reactions have been mixed, with a former NIMASA Director-General, Temisan Omatseye, questioning the interception, while maritime stakeholders and civil society groups have called for a thorough probe to protect Nigeria’s international reputation and strengthen efforts against oil theft.
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