The Federal Government has denounced ownership of a crude oil vessel detained in the United States of America over alleged oil theft and other transnational crimes. It is suspected to have ties with Iran.
In a statement on Friday by its Deputy Director/Head, Public Relations, Mr. Edward Osagie, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) said that the Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) SKIPPER with IMO Number 9304667, which is being held by the United States Coast Guard in collaboration with the United States Navy, is not registered in Nigeria.
The statement read: ‘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.
‘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 1 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 emphasised that criminality will not be tolerated in Nigerian waters’.
VLCC SKIPPER is believed to have been seized off the coast of Venzeuela by United States authorities last Wednesday, and wrongly reported to belong to a Nigerian organisation.
