The United States has detained a Nigerian-linked supertanker, Skipper, following a joint operation by the U.S. Coast Guard and Navy over allegations of oil theft, piracy and other transnational crimes, a move that has sparked renewed scrutiny of Nigeria’s maritime governance and vessel registration practices.
U.S. authorities said the 20-year-old Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC), registered under IMO Number 9304667, was intercepted after intelligence agencies flagged suspicious voyage patterns, questionable cargo declarations and inconsistencies in its ownership records. While the tanker is associated with Lagos-based Thomarose Global Ventures Ltd., its official registry lists Triton Navigation Corp. of the Marshall Islands as owner.
President Donald Trump publicly disclosed the seizure on December 10, saying the operation was part of wider efforts to curb maritime activity deemed threatening to U.S. national security and global energy security.
Complicating matters further, the Skipper was sailing under the Guyanese flag at the time of interception. Guyana’s Maritime Administration Department, however, quickly clarified that the vessel is not on its national registry, describing the flag use as illegal and deceptive.
Investigators are looking into multiple allegations, including oil theft in the Gulf of Guinea, potential narcotics trafficking and possible links to a global network involved in money laundering, illicit weapons movement and unauthorised crude trading. A Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) search shows that Thomarose Global Ventures Ltd., the Nigerian firm tied to the vessel, is currently inactive and difficult to trace.
The development has stirred concern among Nigerian maritime experts. President of the Centre for Marine Surveyors Nigeria, Akin Olaniyan, said any indication that the vessel sailed out of Nigeria undetected would reflect serious regulatory gaps.
“If the vessel emanated from Nigeria, it suggests our Port State Control is practically non-existent. This could expose all Nigerian vessels to increased scrutiny abroad”, he said.
Other stakeholders, including the Oil and Gas Service Providers Association of Nigeria, questioned the opacity surrounding the vessel’s management and the lack of basic corporate records.
Nigeria’s maritime regulator, NIMASA, said it has not received any official notification from U.S. authorities. Its spokesperson, Edward Osagie, requested that enquiries be submitted formally for proper response.
Energy analysts say the case underscores the persistent vulnerability of Nigeria’s oil sector despite significant security spending. The country continues to lose vast volumes of crude every year. According to the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Nigeria lost 13.5 million barrels of crude worth $3.3 billion to theft and vandalism between 2023 and 2024.
The Skipper remains in U.S. custody as investigations deepen into its recent voyages, financing trails and alleged connections to criminal syndicates operating across multiple jurisdictions.
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