The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has dismissed media reports suggesting that a Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) allegedly intercepted by the United States Coast Guard and U.S. Navy was Nigerian-owned or linked to the country’s maritime registry.
In a statement issued on Friday by its Deputy Director of Public Relations, Edward Osagie, NIMASA clarified that the vessel in question — VLCC SKIPPER (IMO 9304667) — is not registered under the Nigerian flag.
The agency further stated that the purported owners, Thomarose Global Ventures Limited, have no registration records with NIMASA as a shipping company.
According to the agency, comprehensive tracking data from its advanced C4i Centre (Command, Control, Communication, Computers and Intelligence) shows that the SKIPPER was last sighted in Nigerian waters on July 1, 2024.
After leaving Nigeria’s maritime domain, the vessel followed a typical international voyage route, moving through the Arabian Sea in Asia before eventually operating in the Caribbean region, where it was intercepted by U.S. authorities.
NIMASA also disclosed that the vessel, formerly owned by Triton Navigation Corp, has a history of multiple name changes, a factor often associated with attempts to obscure ownership or operational patterns.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s stance against maritime crime, NIMASA’s Director General, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, pledged continued cooperation with international partners — including U.S. security agencies — in ongoing investigations surrounding the vessel’s activities.
He stressed that criminality of any form will not be tolerated within Nigerian waters, noting that the agency remains committed to upholding global maritime safety and security standards.