Pictures: The Moment Solong Hit Stena Immaculate
The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has published a time line of the collision between the Portugal registered container ship Solong and the US registered oil/chemical tanker Stena Immaculate.
The collision resulted in one fatality, 14 nautical miles north-east of Spurn Head at the entrance to the Humber Estuary, England, on March 10, 2025.
On 27 February 2025, the Stena Immaculate departed Agioi Theodoroi, Greece, with a cargo of aviation fuel. The tanker was bound for Killingholme, England, and was expected to berth on March 11, 2025.
Solong was engaged in fixed trade in the North Sea, sailing between Rotterdam, Grangemouth and Hull. On March 10, its containerized cargo included various products including some designated as dangerous goods.
As Stena Immaculate approached the Humber Estuary on March 9, 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 1830, Stena Immaculate’s master maneuvered 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 2000 on March 9, Solong had departed Grangemouth, Scotland, disembarked the pilot and commenced its passage to Rotterdam. 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 12-hour duty period.
At approximately 0130 on March 10, 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 0345.
At 0700, Solong’s master returned to the bridge and took over the watch as the lone watchkeeper.
The visibility in the area north of the Humber light float was reported to be patchy and varying between 0.25nm and 2.0nm. Neither Solong nor Stena Immaculate had a dedicated lookout on the bridge.
At 0947, 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). Able seaman Mark Pernia, one of Solong’s crew, was reported to be in the forecastle area at the time of the collision.
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.
Both crews took immediate action. 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.
Pernia has not been found and is believed to have died in the accident.
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.
(above images courtesy of MAIB)