No ‘dedicated lookout’ on North Sea crash vessels, investigators say
Portuguese registered container ship Solong hit US tanker Stena Immaculate on March 10.
There was no “dedicated lookout” on two vessels which crashed in the North Sea last month in “patchy conditions”, investigators said.
Portuguese-registered container ship Solong hit US tanker Stena Immaculate on March 10 about 12 miles off the coast of East Yorkshire, leaving one man missing, presumed dead.
Stena Immaculate was anchored five miles north of navigational aid the Humber light float.
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said in a preliminary report: “The visibility in the area north of the Humber light float was reported to be patchy and varying between 0.25 nautical miles (nm) and 2.0nm.
“Neither Solong nor Stena Immaculate had a dedicated lookout on the bridge.
“At (7am), Solong’s master returned to the bridge and took over the watch as the lone watchkeeper.”
A watchkeeper is responsible for the safe navigation of a vessel whereas the role of lookout is to continuously watch the sea.
The crash, which happened at 9.47am, caused large fires on both vessels.
The man feared dead is Filipino national Mark Pernia.
US tanker Stena Immaculate was approaching the Humber Estuary on March 9 when it was directed to anchor in an area with eight other vessels.
Portuguese registered Solong was sailing from Grangemouth, Scotland, to Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
The report said Solong “altered course” at about 1.30am to a heading of 150 degrees, which is a south-east direction.
It maintained this course until the crash except for a “slight deviation” at 3.45am.
Solong was travelling at a speed of about 16 knots when it hit Stena Immaculate, the MAIB said.
The report described how the crews of both vessels took “immediate action”.
It went on: “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, co-ordinated by His Majesty’s Coastguard.”
The MAIB said its investigation will analyse “the navigation and watchkeeping practices on board both vessels”, and “manning and fatigue management”.
It will also look at 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 environmental conditions.
A total of 36 people were rescued from the ships following the incident.
Solong’s captain, Vladimir Motin, 59, of St Petersburg, Russia, has appeared at Hull Magistrates’ Court and London’s Old Bailey charged with gross negligence manslaughter and was remanded in custody.
He is due to stand trial in January 2026.
Following the collision, thousands of plastic pellets used in plastics production, known as nurdles, were released from ruptured containers on Solong and began washing up on beaches on the Norfolk coast.
According to conservationists, the nurdles are not toxic but can harm animals if ingested.
Solong was towed to Aberdeen, arriving on March 28.
Crowley, the maritime company managing Stena Immaculate, said last week the vessel would be towed to Newcastle in early April.
