Photo caption: The VLCC, Skipper
*MV Skipper is not a Nigerian-flagged vessel
**Owners not registered with NIMASA
By Emeka Ugwuanyi
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has denied having any relationship with a Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) christened Skipper and alleged to be involved in oil theft and other crimes, which was reportedly intercepted by the United States Coast Guard, in collaboration with the U.S. Navy recently.
A statement by NIMASA stated: “The attention of the Management of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has been drawn to media reports stating that the United States Coast Guard, in collaboration with the U.S. Navy, intercepted a Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) SKIPPER with IMO Number 9304667, alleged to be Nigerian-owned and involved in crude oil theft and other transnational crimes.
“NIMASA wishes to put on record that the VLCC SKIPPER is not a Nigerian-flagged vessel, and its purported owners, Thomarose Global Ventures Limited, are not registered with NIMASA as a shipping company.
Photo caption: Voyage path of VLCC, Skipper
“An analysis of the vessel’s movement, monitored through the Agency’s Command, Control, Communication, Computers and Intelligence (C4i) Centre, shows that the vessel was last sighted in Nigerian waters on 1st July 2024.
“After departing Nigerian waters, the vessel continued on its international voyage pattern and was tracked operating in the Arabian Sea (Asia) and later in the Caribbean region, where the U.S. interdiction eventually took place.
“Records indicate that SKIPPER which was formerly owned by Triton Navigation Corp, has undergone multiple name changes over time.
“The Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to collaborate with all relevant stakeholders, including U.S. authorities, in the ongoing investigations. He emphasized that criminality will not be tolerated in Nigerian waters.”
