What exactly happened in the moments leading up to the collision between the container ship Solong and tanker Stena Immaculate on 10 March on the North Sea? The UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has released an interim report giving the information available so far.
The container ship Solong struck the Stena Immaculate while the latter was at anchor some 14 nautical miles north-east of Spurn Head at the entrance to the Humber Estuary, awaiting berth availability at the Port of Killingholme. The tanker was carrying 220,204.5 barrels of jet fuel.
The Solong was en route from Grangemouth, Scotland, to Rotterdam in the Netherlands. The Portugal registered container ship Solong was engaged in fixed trade in the North Sea, sailing between Rotterdam, Grangemouth and Hull. On 10 March, its containerised cargo included various products including some designated as dangerous goods.
After the collision, fires broke out on both vessels and jet fuel of the Stena Immaculate was flowing out into the sea. 36 of the 37 crew members were rescued. A search for the missing crew member of the Solong was eventually called off, with this crew member presumed dead.
On Tuesday, 11 March, the captain of the Solong, Vladimir Motin (59), of Primorsky, St Petersburg, Russia, was arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter in connection with the collision. He was officially charged for this offence on 14 March.
Also read: Solong towed to Aberdeen, lightering Stena Immaculate starts
Timeline of events
On 3 April, the MAIB released an interim report. In this report, a timeline is given for the events leading up to the collision:
As Stena Immaculate approached the Humber Estuary on 9 March, the officer of the watch contacted Associate British Ports (ABP) Vessel Traffic Services Humber and was advised to proceed to anchor at a position 5 miles to the north of the Humber light float and 2 miles clear of any pipeline. At about 18:30, Stena Immaculate’s master manoeuvred the vessel as directed to a position north of ABP Humber’s area of responsibility where it anchored. There were eight other vessels anchored in the same area.
By 20:00 on 9 March 2025, Solong had departed Grangemouth, Scotland, disembarked the pilot and commenced its passage to Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Solong’s planned passage followed a route the vessel had used in the past. The master remained on watch until shortly before 2300, then handed the watch over to the second officer (2/O) and retired to bed.
Shortly before midnight, Stena Immaculate’s 2/O took over the anchor watch at the start of a twelve-hour duty period.
At approximately 01:30 on 10 March, Solong passed the Longstone Lighthouse off the north-east coast of England and altered course onto a heading of approximately 150°. Solong maintained this course except for a slight deviation at 03:45. At 07:00, Solong’s master returned to the bridge and took over the watch as the lone watchkeeper.
Also read: Salvors board Stena Immaculate and Solong, nurdles discovered
No lookouts
The visibility in the area north of the Humber light float was reported to be patchy and varying between 0.25 nautical miles (nm) and 2.0 nm. Neither Solong nor Stena Immaculate had a dedicated lookout on the bridge.
At 09:47, Solong collided with the anchored Stena Immaculate’s port side on a heading (HDG) of 150° and speed over the ground (SOG) of about 16 knots (kts) (Figure 3). Able seaman Mark Pernia, one of Solong’s crew, was reported to be in the forecastle area at the time of the collision.
Also read: North Sea collision: Both vessels stable, captain arrested
Fires and evacuation
The collision breached Stena Immaculate’s No.7 port cargo tank, releasing aviation fuel into the sea and onto the bow of Solong. The aviation fuel was ignited by the heat generated by the force of the collision and the resulting fire ignited the contents of containers carried on board Solong.
The crews of both Solong and Stena Immaculate took immediate action to address the evolving situation. Attempts by Stena Immaculate’s crew to fight the fire, and for Solong’s crew to locate the missing able seaman were hampered by the severity of the fire. Both Stena Immaculate and Solong’s crew abandoned to lifeboats and were subsequently recovered by the efforts of local boats and emergency responders, coordinated by His Majesty’s Coastguard.
Able seaman Mark Pernia has not been found and is believed to have died in the accident.
Also read: Smit Salvage called in for burning tanker on North Sea
Ongoing investigation
Both Solong and Stena Immaculate are currently undergoing salvage operations and an evaluation of the nature and extent of pollution from both vessels is in progress.
The MAIB’s investigation into the accident is ongoing. The investigation will encompass the navigation and watchkeeping practices on board both vessels; manning and fatigue management; the condition and maintenance of the vessels involved; the use of the offshore area as an anchorage for vessels waiting to enter the Humber Estuary; and the environmental conditions at the time.
Response Crowley to MAIB report
Crowley, which manages the Stena Immaculate through a joint venture with owner Stena Bulk USA, has released a statement on its website regarding the MAIB interim report. The company says that ‘the report confirmed that the Stena Immaculate’s Second Officer was on watch, beginning a 12-hour lookout shift just before midnight, during which patchy visibility was reported in the area.’
‘It is important to note that watch requirements for vessels at anchor are different from ships that are underway,’ adds Crowley. ‘The Stena Immaculate was operating in compliance with applicable watch-standing safety regulations and Crowley company policies for an anchored vessel. We are confident that the forthcoming comprehensive investigation report will clarify the facts and circumstances of the incident, demonstrating that Crowley exercised appropriate vigilance.’
Picture (top): Stena Immaculate pictured on 13 March 2025 (photo by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency).
Also read: Tanker and container ship on fire after colliding in North Sea
