Legal Showdown Erupts Among Shipowners Following Fatal North Sea Collision

Screengrab from youtube video by The Manila Times

A notable legal dispute has emerged following a serious maritime accident in the North Sea involving a container ship and a fuel tanker.

On March 10, the Portuguese-flagged vessel Solong collided with the US-registered tanker stena Immaculate while it was anchored approximately 16 miles off East Yorkshire’s coast. The tanker, loaded with aviation fuel, ignited post-collision, leading too the loss of over 17,000 barrels of jet fuel.

Fast forward to April 3: the owners and charterers of Solong initiated legal proceedings at London’s Admiralty Court against their counterparts for Stena Immaculate. This move came shortly after Stena Bulk and Crowley—co-owners of the tanker—filed their own claim against Ernst russ, who owns Solong on March 31.

Ernst Russ confirmed this legal action as part of standard protocol following major maritime incidents. Thay also expressed commitment to supporting ongoing investigations into what transpired that day.

In light of potential claims arising from this incident, Ernst Russ has established a fund to address any verified legal actions that may come their way.Video Credits: On Demand News/YouTube

An interim report released by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) on April 3 revealed that neither ship had an active lookout during the collision.The second officer aboard Stena Immaculate had just begun anchor watch before midnight but was still on duty when disaster struck around 9:47 AM. Simultaneously occurring,only one person—the master—was present on watch aboard Solong when it crashed into Stena Immaculate.

The MAIB noted that visibility conditions were not ideal at that time either. In response to these findings, Crowley stated that they adhered strictly to safety protocols while operating in compliance with all regulations regarding anchoring procedures.

After this harrowing event unfolded, rescue teams managed to save all but one crew member from both vessels; sadly, Mark Pernia—a Filipino national serving on Solong—is currently missing and presumed dead after being located in its forward section during impact.

The captain of Solong is facing charges for gross negligence manslaughter due to his role in this tragedy; he is set for trial in January 2026 as investigations continue. More data will be available once authorities finalize their thorough report on this incident.References: BBC,The Standard