A legal claim has been filed by the owners of a container ship against the owners of a tanker that was involved in a crash in the North Sea. The Stena Immaculate, a US-registered tanker carrying aviation fuel, was struck by the Portuguese-flagged Solong while anchored 16 miles off East Yorkshire on March 10. The claim was lodged at the Admiralty Court by the owners and demise charterers of the Solong against the owners and demise charterers of the Stena Immaculate, according to court records.
In response to the legal claim, a statement from Ernst Russ, owners of the Solong, mentioned that the filing was a standard procedure in maritime incidents of this scale. The spokesperson also expressed the company’s commitment to cooperating with ongoing investigations. Stena Bulk, co-owners of the Stena Immaculate, also initiated a legal claim against the owners of the Solong, Ernst Russ, earlier in the week.
Following the collision, Stena Bulk reported a loss of 17,515 barrels of jet fuel due to the crash and ensuing fire. The Solong continued to burn for a week after the incident before finally reaching Aberdeen. Ernst Russ took preemptive measures by establishing a fund to address any verified legal claims against them. Meanwhile, the authorities issued an interim report on the incident, highlighting deficiencies in the lookout system of the vessels, which were operating in challenging conditions.
The tragic incident resulted in fires and a complex rescue operation that saved 36 crew members from both ships. Unfortunately, one crew member from the Solong, Mark Pernia, is missing and presumed dead. The ship’s captain, Vladimir Motin, has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter and is set to face trial in the coming year. The investigation by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch shed light on critical lapses in safety procedures that contributed to the collision in the North Sea
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