In a joint operation, the United States Coast Guard and Navy intercepted and seized the 20-year-old very large crude carrier Skipper (IMO 9304667) in international waters on allegations of crude-oil theft, piracy, and other serious maritime crimes.
The boarding followed intelligence indicating that the vessel posed a direct threat to regional and global maritime security.
Although the tanker was sailing under the flag of Guyana at the time of seizure, the Guyana Maritime Administration Authority (MARAD) swiftly disavowed any connection, stating that the ship is not registered in Guyana and had no authorisation to fly its flag.
The false flag registration is now part of the ongoing investigation into the vessel’s illicit operations.
Ownership records list the tanker as belonging to Triton Navigation Corp., a company incorporated in the Marshall Islands, while operational management is linked to the Nigerian firm Thomarose Global Ventures Ltd., which Nigeria’s Corporate Affairs Commission currently classifies as inactive.
On 10 December 2025, former President Donald Trump publicly confirmed the seizure, describing it as a significant blow against transnational networks engaged in oil theft and piracy. U.S. authorities have indicated that the investigation is active and additional charges are anticipated as evidence is analysed.
