By John Konrad, gCaptain
Off the East Yorkshire coast, a grave incident is unfolding where the U.S.-flagged oil tanker MV Stena Immaculate loaded with jet fuel, a ship designated critical to US national security in the Department of Transportation’s Tanker Security Program (TSP), was struck while at anchor by the Portuguese-flagged containership MV Solong.
The collision has set both vessels ablaze, triggering extensive search and rescue operations. The crews have abandoned both ships. While initial reports suggest all U.S. Merchant Mariners are reportedly safe in lifeboats, one crew member from the Solong remains unaccounted for.
“It appears that Solong did not slow down or maneuver. It rammed straight into the side of Stena Immaculate,” said maritime historian Sal Mercogliano in a video analyzing the AIS ship tracks.
The Stena Immaculate is one of only ten vessels enrolled in the DOT’s TSP, which provides essential ships for the Department of Defense. Neither Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy nor Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has issued a statement. The vessel is one of three tankers operated in the TSP by Crowley-Stena Marine Solutions, a joint venture between US-based Crowley, which manages the vessel, and Stena Bulk USA.
The Stena Immaculate was anchored off the Humber Estuary when the Solong struck it at 9:48 a.m. on Monday. The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency is coordinating the emergency response with search and rescue helicopters from Humberside and lifeboats from Skegness, Bridlington, Mablethorpe, and Cleethorpes. A fixed-wing aircraft and nearby vessels with firefighting capabilities are also supporting the operation.
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