On March 10, a terrifying collision occurred in the North Sea between the anchored U.S.-flagged oil tanker Stena Immaculate and the Portuguese-flagged container ship Solong.
The Stena Immaculate, chartered by the US military, was carrying jet fuel, a hazardous cargo, and its rupture led to an uncontrollable blaze.
The captain of the Solong was arrested on suspicion of gross negligence leading to manslaughter. Initial reports indicate a combination of navigational errors, miscommunication, and adverse weather conditions.
The Russian captain of a cargo ship has now pleaded not guilty to manslaughter over the death of a crew member in the collision.
Vladimir Motin, 59, appeared via video link from a prison in northeast England at London’s Old Bailey criminal court, facing one count of gross negligence manslaughter.
His container ship, the Portuguese-flagged Solong, rammed into the jet-fuel-laden Stena Immaculate on the morning of March 10, setting both vessels ablaze and triggering a massive offshore rescue operation.
The US-flagged tanker, which had been chartered by the US military, was anchored 13 miles (21 kilometres) from the port of Hull, northeastern England, at the time of the crash.
One Solong crew member, Filipino Mark Angelo Pernia, died in the collision, which also sparked fears of ecological damage after a tank containing fuel was ruptured.
Plastic pellets from the container ship were also found floating in the sea in the following days.
Assisted by a Russian interpreter, Motin from Primorsky, St. Petersburg, confirmed his identity. The judge set another hearing for September 10, ahead of a trial scheduled for January 12, 2026.
According to the Allianz Safety and Shipping Review 2023, human error accounts for nearly 75% of marine accidents, often due to fatigue, poor decision-making, or lack of training. Maritime workers operate in demanding conditions, and fatigue can impair their ability to respond effectively to critical situations.
In the past five years, maritime collisions have led to hundreds of fatalities worldwide.
The 2022 collision between the USS Fitzgerald and MV ACX Crystal off the coast of Japan resulted in the deaths of seven U.S. sailors. Investigations revealed that inadequate communication and a failure to follow collision avoidance protocols were contributing factors.
A preliminary report found that “neither the Solong nor Stena Immaculate had a dedicated lookout on the bridge” at the time of the incident and that visibility was “patchy”.
The UK government has ruled out foul play.
The stationary oil tanker was operating “in compliance” with watch requirements for an anchored vessel, its owner, Crowley, has insisted.
The Solong penetrated one of Stena’s cargo tanks, “releasing aviation fuel into the sea and onto the bow of Solong”, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch detailed in its report.
“The aviation fuel was ignited by the heat generated by the force of the collision,” it said.
It took nearly two days to extinguish visible flames on board in a huge firefighting operation. Both vessels have been relocated to different ports for salvage operations and damage assessments.
Ernst Russ, which owns the Solong, and Crowley have filed legal claims against each other.
While environmental disaster from the jet fuel spillage was averted, the coastguard undertook a clean-up operation after discovering clumps of plastic pellets, or nurdles, in the sea and washed ashore.
The nurdles — tiny pieces of plastic resin which are non-toxic but pose a risk to wildlife — came from the Solong, which was carrying 15 containers of the pellets. More than 16 tonnes (16,000 kilograms) of plastics were removed from beaches in northeastern Lincolnshire, according to the local council.
With inputs from AFP
