Stena Bulk has provided an update regarding the Stena Immaculate incident that occurred on March 10, when the container ship SOLONG collided with the tanker while it was anchored. The company is actively collaborating with Crowley and UK agencies to manage the situation effectively. Salvage experts from SMIT Salvage have been conducting thorough assessments aboard the Stena Immaculate.
As of March 16, the salvage team has determined that the damage from the allision is confined to one cargo tank carrying Jet A-1 fuel and one ballast tank filled with seawater. At the time of the incident, Stena Immaculate was carrying a total of 220,000 barrels of Jet A-1 fuel, with 17,515 barrels confirmed lost due to the impact and subsequent fire. Fortunately, the remaining cargo and bunkers have been secured.
The crew members of Stena Immaculate are to be commended for their remarkable professionalism during the emergency. Before abandoning ship, they managed to activate fire monitors, which provided boundary cooling water to adjacent cargo tanks. This quick thinking played a crucial role in limiting the damage to only those tanks that were directly impacted by the collision.
The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency has reiterated that there is no current risk of pollution from the tanker. The salvage operation is still in progress and will take additional time to finalize. A complete salvage and tow plan will be established in conjunction with relevant authorities.
Stena Bulk is dedicated to assisting in all facets of the response and will continue to provide updates as developments unfold.