Esther Oritse
with agency report
Lagos — The United States Coast Guard, in collaboration with the U.S. Navy, has intercepted a Nigerian-owned supertanker, Skipper, over allegations of crude oil theft, piracy, and other transnational crimes.
The vessel, a 20-year-old Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) with IMO Number 9304667, is reportedly owned and managed by Nigeria-based Thomarose Global Ventures Ltd., though its registered owner is listed as Triton Navigation Corp., headquartered in the Marshall Islands.
Authorities said the tanker was illegally flying the Guyanese flag at the time of its arrest. In a swift rebuttal, Guyana’s Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) confirmed that Skipper is not on its national ship registry and was using the country’s flag without authorization.
According to U.S. security sources, the seizure was carried out under American law enforcement authority, with President Donald Trump announcing the operation on December 10, 2025.
Beyond suspicions of stolen crude, the vessel is also being investigated for allegedly transporting a large consignment of hard drugs and operating within a network backed by Iranian and other Islamist-linked money-laundering financiers.
A check with Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, showed that Thomarose is inactive.
