Video Captures Ship Impact on Stena Immaculate
Newly released video footage captured by advanced AI-powered cameras has provided crucial insights into the collision between the container ship MV Solong and the U.S.-flagged tanker Stena Immaculate off the port of Grimsby earlier this week.
The footage, recorded by Orca AI’s SeaPod lookout unit mounted on the anchored tanker Ionic Aspis, reportedly shows the exact moment of impact. The recordings include two separate videos: one from the system’s day cameras, highlighting the dense fog that likely obstructed the Solong crew’s visibility, and another from thermal cameras, which vividly captures the container ship's approach and the explosion upon impact.
“This video footage clearly shows the context of the accident—the fog conditions at the time—while also clearly depicting the moment of impact,” said Yarden Gross, CEO and Co-founder of Orca AI.
Gross emphasized that the incident underscores the vulnerabilities of maritime navigation, particularly in poor visibility conditions.
“This week’s collision is another stark reminder of the fragility of maritime navigation,” he said. “Despite technological advancements, crews still rely heavily on traditional navigation tools that struggle with target detection in low visibility conditions, rough weather, and dense fog. Compounding these challenges, crew fatigue remains a major issue, slowing reaction times and increasing the risk of human error.”
Gross highlighted the role AI can play in preventing similar accidents in the future by enhancing situational awareness, optimizing response times, and reducing risks through smarter, data-driven decision-making tools.
“With AI-powered systems, ships can operate with greater autonomy, helping crews navigate safely and efficiently,” he said.
The video evidence has been handed over to UK authorities investigating the collision, which led to the arrest of Solong’s captain on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter.
The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch has deployed a team of inspectors to begin a preliminary assessment and has since been joined by representatives from the US National Transportation Safety Board, the US Coastguard and Marine Safety Investigation Authority Portugal.
Having consulted with those flag state authorities, agreement has been made that the Marine Accident Investigation Branch will lead the safety investigation with Portugal and the United States acting as substantially interested states.
MAIB’s enquiries have focused on gathering witness accounts and obtaining digital data. Once it is safe to do so MAIB will conduct a detailed inspection of both vessels and manage the retrieval of the Voyage Data Recorders (VDR) from both vessels.
From the initial enquiries made it is known that Solong frequently travelled between Grangemouth and Rotterdam and regularly used the route it took on the day of the collision. On Monday morning at 0130 UTC, Solong passed to the east of the Longstone lighthouse and altered course onto a heading of approximately 150° at a speed of about 16.4 knots. At 0947 UTC it struck the Stena Immaculate that was at anchor off the entrance to the River Humber.
As well as continuing to gather witness accounts, further investigation work will look to establish the navigational practices onboard both vessels; the manning and fatigue management; the condition and maintenance of the vessels involved; and the environmental conditions at the time.
The incident, which also left one crew member missing and presumed dead, has sparked renewed discussions on navigation safety, technology integration, and the importance of AI-assisted decision-making in high-risk maritime environments.
