The United States Coast Guard, in joint operation with the U.S. Navy, has intercepted a Nigerian-owned supertanker, Skipper, over suspected involvement in crude oil theft, piracy, and other transnational criminal activities.
The 20-year-old Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC), with IMO Number 930****, is reportedly owned and managed by Nigeria-based Thomarose Global Ventures Ltd., although its registered ownership documents list Triton Navigation Corp., based in the Marshall Islands, as the vessel’s official owner.
Authorities disclosed that the vessel was illegally flying the Guyanese flag at the time of interception. Guyana’s Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) later confirmed that the Skipper “is not on the national ship registry,” labeling its use of the Guyanese flag as unauthorized.
U.S. security officials noted that the interception was conducted under American law enforcement authority. President Donald Trump publicly announced the vessel’s seizure on 10 December 2025.
Beyond allegations of stolen crude, investigators are examining intelligence suggesting the tanker may have been used to transport a substantial quantity of hard drugs, while also operating within a transnational criminal network allegedly linked to Iranian and other Islamist-backed money-laundering groups.
A review of Nigeria’s Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) database shows that Thomarose Global Ventures Ltd., the company purported to own and manage the vessel, is currently listed as inactive.
Further investigations are ongoing.
