U.S. Seizes Nigerian-Owned Tanker Over Oil Theft Allegations

The United States Coast Guard, working with the U.S. Navy, has intercepted the Nigerian-owned supertanker Skipper after intelligence linked the vessel to crude oil theft, piracy, and transnational criminal activity.

The Skipper, a 20-year-old Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC), allegedly operated under a false Guyanese flag, a tactic known as “flag hopping” used to evade maritime regulations. Guyana’s Maritime Administration confirmed the vessel was not registered in its system, calling the flag use illegal and deceptive.

Investigators are probing connections to drug trafficking, money laundering, and illicit financial networks, with scrutiny focused on Thomarose Global Ventures Ltd., the inactive Nigerian company listed as the manager. Official registration records, however, show ownership under Triton Navigation Corp. in the Marshall Islands, raising further questions about opaque ownership structures.

President Donald Trump announced the seizure on December 10, 2025, framing it as part of a broader crackdown on illicit maritime activities threatening U.S. national security and the global energy supply chain.

The arrest of Skipper highlights the persistent problem of oil theft in the Gulf of Guinea and intensifies concerns about Nigeria’s shadow economy, where inactive or shell companies are often linked to international smuggling and fraud.