Pollution ‘no cause for concern’ after oil tanker-cargo ship North Sea allision, UK says

Following a collision between a U.S.-flagged oil/product tanker and a Portuguese container ship in the North Sea, the UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency has maintained that it does not foresee a damaging pollution effect from the tanker.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s position remains that there continues to be no cause for concern for pollution from the tanker, stressed Stena Bulk on March 17, a week after the 2005-built Portugal-flagged container ship, MV Solong, owned by Ernst Russ, struck the 2017-built U.S.-flagged oil/product tanker, MV Stena Immaculate, while the latter was at anchor off the coast of Humber Estuary.

The incident in the North Sea is being investigated by multiple players, including the UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB). Based on an update from Erik Hånell, Stena Bulk’s President & CEO, Stena Immaculate, operated and managed by Crowley, remains in stable condition while the duo continues to work with UK agencies in the wake of the incident.

Hånell confirmed that specialist third-party salvage experts from SMIT Salvage boarded the Stena Immaculate on March 14, 2025, to conduct a thorough assessment under carefully controlled safety protocols.

Read more:

• 📎‘Foul play’ among suspected reasons behind oil tanker–cargo ship North Sea collision
• 📎With fire ‘greatly diminished,’ probe into oil tanker–cargo ship North Sea allision ongoing
• 📎Total insured losses from North Sea containership-tanker allision to likely range between $100M to $300M
• 📎Oil tanker stays put as cargo ship gets a tow: US and Portugal let UK spearhead North Sea allision probe

Commenting on the incident off the coast of East Yorkshire, Paddy O’Callaghan, Chief Coastguard at UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency, said on March 14: “The locations of the vessels are unchanged – the Stena Immaculate remains at anchor. The Solong continues to be held in a safe location connected to a tug. There are now only small periodic pockets of fire on the Solong which are not causing undue concern. Specialist tugs with firefighting capability remain at both vessels’ locations.

“Regular aerial surveillance flights continue to monitor the vessels and confirm that there continues to be no cause for concern from pollution from either the Stena Immaculate or from the Solong. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is also assisting in the response, and continues to advise that any public health risk on shore is deemed to be very low. The UKHSA will keep risk assessments under continual review as further information becomes available.”

Moreover, Stena Bulk’s CEO highlights that salvage experts from SMIT Salvage, which are continuing with their detailed onboard assessments of Stena Immaculate, confirmed on March 16 that damage resulting from the Solong cargo ship striking the Stena Immaculate was limited to one cargo tank containing Jet A-1 fuel and one ballast tank with sea water.

Hånell pointed out: “At the time of the allision, the Stena Immaculate was carrying 220,000 barrels of Jet A-1 fuel. Based on the assessment by the salvage team, it has been confirmed that 17,515 barrels of Jet A-1 fuel have been lost due to the impact and fire. The remaining cargo and bunkers are secure.

“We are immensely proud of our crew members who, before being forced to abandon ship, demonstrated exceptional professionalism by ensuring fire monitors were active to provide boundary cooling water to the adjacent cargo tanks. This decisive action significantly limited the damage to only the cargo tanks directly impacted by the allision.”

Furthermore, Stena Bulk’s CEO emphasizes that the salvage process is ongoing and will require further time to complete fully, with a comprehensive salvage and tow plan expected to be finalized in collaboration with the appropriate authorities.