Burnt-Out Containership Solong to be Towed into UK Port

More than two weeks after the devastating incident on March 10 in which the Portuguese-flagged containership Solong hit the anchored tanker Stena Immaculate, the UK’s HM Coastguard reports preparations are being made to tow the containership to port. The operation is expected later this week.

After hitting the tanker which started fires aboard both ships, Solong was abandoned and her crew was brought to shore by an offshore service vessel working at a wind farm in the area. One crewmember, a resident of the Philippines, was lost with reports saying he had been working near the bow of the vessel when it hit the tanker. HM Coastguard led an unsuccessful search to locate the missing seafarer.

After initially drifting in the North Sea, salvage teams were able to attach a tow line to hold the still-burning vessel. It took more than a week for the fires to be put out.

“Salvage of the Solong has progressed to enable its relocation to the Port of Aberdeen for safe berthing,” Chief Coastguard Paddy O’Callaghan announced today. “Tug and tow are scheduled to arrive at Aberdeen later this week,” the Coastguard announced

The plan calls for Solong to be towed by one of the salvage tugs and accompanied by another tug. In addition, a vessel with counter pollution measures will be accompanying the tow. HM Coastguard said the pollution measures would be available if needed during the tow.

At the same time, the local authorities report the cleanup is continuing along the coastline as nurdles (plastic beads) have washed up following the incident. The Coastguard has said that it is likely that the nurdles entered the water at the point of collision, but the vessel’s owners through a spokesperson said that it believes no containers holding nurdles were thought to have been lost over the side of the ship. It speculates that some of the plastic beads were released during the fires which ruptured some of the containers.

The situation for the Stena Immaculate remains unchanged with the tanker still at anchor. U.S. ship operator Crowley reported salvage teams determined only one of the tanks holding jet fuel had been ruptured and fed the fire. The remainder of the jet fuel is stable aboard the tanker. No details have been announced for the salvage which is being conducted by Boskalis’ SMIT group.

The crews from the two vessels were repatriated to the United States and the Philippines. However, the master of the Solong remains in a UK jail having been arrested on a count of gross negligent manslaughter. It came out in the initial court hearing that he had been on the bridge of the containership standing watch when it hit the tanker. His next hearing is scheduled for April 14 and the judge has set a tentative trial date of January 12, 2026.