A recent incident in the North Sea involving an oil tanker and cargo ship has raised concerns about the lack of “dedicated lookouts” in what were described as “patchy conditions”. The Stena Immaculate, a US-registered tanker carrying aviation fuel, was anchored off the East Yorkshire coast when it was struck by the Portuguese-flagged Solong on 10 March. The collision resulted in fires and a rescue operation that saved 36 crew members from both vessels.
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) conducted an interim report on the incident, revealing that the Solong was carrying various dangerous products when it departed from Grangemouth in Scotland. The tanker was instructed by Associate British Ports (ABP) Vessel Traffic Services to anchor north of the Humber Estuary, away from any pipeline, where it was joined by eight other vessels.
The Solong collided with the Stena Immaculate the following day at a speed of approximately 16 knots, with visibility in the area reported to be ranging from 0.25 to 2.0 nautical miles. The impact caused a cargo tank on the tanker to breach, spilling aviation fuel and igniting a fire that made it challenging to locate a missing crew member from the Solong. Efforts to rescue both crews were coordinated by HM Coastguard.
The MAIB’s full investigation will delve into navigation and watchkeeping practices, crewing and fatigue management, vessel conditions and maintenance, and environmental factors at the time of the crash. Salvage operations are currently underway for both the Solong and Stena Immaculate, with concerns being raised about the environmental impact and ongoing evaluations of pollution levels. The captain of the Solong, Vladimir Motin, has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter and is set to face trial in January 2026
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