The crew of a U.S.-based oil tanker loaded with jet fuel were safe and accounted for after their ship was struck by a container vessel that caused explosions and a fire off the eastern coast of Great Britain early Monday.
The U.S-flagged tanker Stena Immaculate, operating under the USDOT’s Transportation Security Program, was at anchor when it was struck by the Solong, a 500-TEU feeder container ship registered in Portugal, at 5 a.m. local time in the North Sea off Hull, according to a statement attributed to an official from the Department of Defense in an email to FreightWaves, on background.
“The U.S.-flagged vessel MT Stena Immaculate was struck by the Portuguese-flagged cargo ship MV Solong while at anchor off the United Kingdom’s North Sea coast at approximately 5 a.m. EST,” the official said. “The crew immediately began firefighting efforts but was forced to abandon the vessel following multiple explosions. All crew members are accounted for and are uninjured. More information will be [released] as it becomes available.”
Operator Crowley in a statement said Stena Immaculate crew had been rescued. The statement added that the incident caused jet fuel to spill into the North Sea, and that it was working with public agencies on a response.
Thick, black smoke could be seen for miles as emergency crews worked on the scene. There were no immediate reports of casualties after both crews abandoned their ships. About 30 individuals had been rescued at the scene, according to media reports.
The 600-foot Stena Immaculate, built in 2017, had left the Greek port of Agio Theodori on Feb. 27.
The ship is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Tanker Security Program, one of nine such privately owned product tankers supporting American defense and military requirements. The program was established in 2023.
Built in 2005, the 460-foot Solong was headed for the Port of Rotterdam after departing Grangemouth, Scotland, on Sunday. It is operated by Reederei Köpping GmbH & Co. of Germany.
This article was updated Monday to add a statement from an official with the Department of Defense.
This article was updated Monday to add a statement from Crowley.
Find more articles by Stuart Chirls here.
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