Unexplained ship collision off UK coast triggers race for clues

By Jonathan Saul

LONDON (Reuters) - A collision involving a tanker carrying jet fuel for the U.S. military and a container ship off Britain's coast is an unusual incident that raises questions over what went wrong despite safety measures in place, three shipping and insurance sources said on Tuesday.

The U.S.-flagged chemical tanker Stena Immaculate and the Portuguese-flagged Solong container vessel were still burning on Tuesday, a day after an unexplained collision during the morning that left the tanker with a gaping hole in its side. Neither vessel is expected to sink.

So far, little is known about what took place. 

One of the sources -- all of whom are maritime specialists including insurers with knowledge of collisions at sea -- described the episode as unique, and said it was strange that the Solong had not slowed down.

But authorities would be able to begin addressing questions about the incident when they got hold of the vessels' voyage data recorders, the source said.

Both vessels would have been fitted with several technological aids including two radar systems, automated radar plotting aids, the public AIS ship tracking systems as well as VHF radios for contact with coastal authorities, another of the sources said. 

The Stena Immaculate tanker was built in 2017 and underwent a safety certification survey in 2023 with its next renewal due in 2027, shipping data showed. 

The Solong, built in 2005, has its next safety certification survey up for renewal in October, data showed.  

Shipping sources said such disasters were rare off Britain's coast: one the biggest involved the Sea Empress, which went down on the rocks off Milford Haven on Britain's west coast in 1996 that saw over 70,000 tonnes of oil spilled.

Stena Immaculate's manager and owner both said the container ship hit the tanker when it was at anchor, while the owner of the Solong has described the incident as a collision.

RIGOROUS SAFETY MEASURES IN PLACE

The shipping sources said AIS tracking data and navigational details indicated that the Solong was sailing at 16 knots, close to its maximum of about 18 knots, and that the vessel had sailed many times through the waters where the crash took place.

While the location of the incident off Britain's Humber area close to the North Sea is known for its rougher weather depending on the season, rigorous safety measures are in place around UK waters, including steps to ensure navigation at times of restricted visibility. 

A third source, who like the others declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the issue, said such incidents were not unusual globally but this one was "spectacular" because fire broke out on both ships.

In April 2021, a tanker carrying around one million barrels of bitumen mix was involved in a collision near the Chinese port city of Qingdao during heavy fog, spilling oil into the Yellow Sea.

The shipping sources said the first steps following Monday's incident would be to deal with any personal injuries or loss of life, and managing the consequences of any pollution. 

The crews of both vessels were safe after being rescued, although the British government's working assumption is that one sailor from the Solong was dead, British maritime minister Mike Kane told lawmakers in parliament.

Stena Bulk, which owns the tanker, said on Tuesday that the expertise of search and rescue teams had been "invaluable throughout this challenging situation".

British police arrested a man on Tuesday on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter in connection with the collision and authorities have launched a criminal investigation into the cause of the collision.       

The sources said that while the incident still had to be investigated, there were procedures in place which would at least provide a framework.     

Britain was a sophisticated coastal state, good at managing casualties and with top tier insurers involved in this incident, the third source said. 

Data from the non-profit advisory body ITOPF on oil spills shows that the number of spills globally in 2024 reached six large spills and four smaller ones, versus 18 in 2009 and over 100 for much of the 1970s.  

(Reporting by Jonathan Saul, Editing by William Maclean)