MV SKIPPER Not A Nigerian Flagged Vessel

MV SKIPPER Not A Nigerian Flagged Vessel
— owners not registered with NIMASA

By Frank Odinukaeze

The Management of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has reacted to recent media reports alleging that the United States Coast Guard, in collaboration with the U.S. Navy, intercepted a Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC), MV SKIPPER (IMO No. 9304667), purportedly Nigerian-owned and involved in crude oil theft and other transnational crimes, clarifying that the vessel is neither Nigerian-flagged nor owned by entities registered with NIMASA.

NIMASA through a statement made available by NIMASA, through Osagie Edward, Deputy Director/ Head Public Relations, 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.

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.

The statement added that 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.