Stena Immaculate Team Shares Insights on Dramatic Anchored Collision

On March 10, the crew aboard the U.S.-flagged tanker Stena Immaculate showcased remarkable skill and composure when thier ship was struck by the containership Solong off the eastern coast of Britain. This incident could have led to a major disaster,but thanks to their quick actions,it was managed effectively.

The collision happened as the portuguese-registered solong barreled toward them at a speed of 16.4 knots while Stena Immaculate had been anchored for over 15 hours with a cargo of military jet fuel—220,000 barrels in total. Crew members from seafarers international Union (SIU) are now sharing their experiences from that day.

Third Mate Jeffery Griffin recalled his immediate reaction: “I knew right away we were in trouble. It was moving fast and then came this huge crunching sound followed by flames.” The crew fought valiantly against the fire for about half an hour before realizing they needed to evacuate. “We were holding our ground pretty well,” Griffin noted, “but then we heard ‘abandon ship’ and knew it was time.”

Chief Mate Sterie described how quickly things escalated: “As flames grew stronger, it became clear this wasn’t just a minor issue anymore; we couldn’t handle it.” The urgency intensified when smoke began billowing toward them due to changing winds. “It got so thick we couldn’t even see what hit us,” he added.

Despite thes harrowing conditions, the crew remained calm and organized during evacuation procedures.Griffin mentioned how smoothly everyone moved: “There wasn’t any chaos; we did a quick muster at the lifeboat.” The second mate executed an impressively swift headcount ensuring no one was left behind.

Crew member Brown commended their leaders during this crisis: “Everyone acted according to training protocols. Captain Thomas Leaf and Second Mate Peter Skerys processed facts rapidly and devised an effective plan.” He felt reassured knowing they had capable leadership making critical decisions under pressure.

Their training proved invaluable as they activated fire monitors before leaving the ship which helped cool adjacent cargo tanks—this action limited damage significantly with only 17,515 barrels lost out of their total cargo.

Stena bulk’s CEO Erik Hånell expressed pride in his team’s response: “Our crew displayed outstanding professionalism… Their decisive actions greatly mitigated potential damage.”

Tragically though, not all fared well; one member of Solong’s crew is presumed dead following this incident while its captain faces charges related to gross negligence manslaughter.

A thorough investigation is currently being conducted by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB), collaborating with authorities from both Portugal and the U.S., aiming to uncover more details surrounding this serious event.