North Sea tanker collision

[Gloster]

Aviation benefits from having seen the nonsense that the maritime industry had got up to in the years since Noah was a lad, and the authorities deciding they wouldn't put up with it. There's still some of it around, but it's much more tightly regulated.

And also because a high proportion of maritime disasters occur out at sea and out of mind, and the majority only involve seamen. Planes can land on anyone’s head and are far more likely to contain members of the general public.

 

[mpthomson]

However it's totally unsurprising that the master of a vessel that has T-boned an anchored vessel in daylight should carry the responsibility whether on the bridge or not.

Obviously we'll have to wait to hear exactly how this happened. It may, or may not, be telling what were the duties of the missing crew member.

Indeed

 

[AndyPJG]

Ship captain charged over North Sea collision​

BBC News

The captain of a cargo ship that collided with an oil tanker in the North Sea has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter.
Vladimir Motin, 59, of Primorsky, St Petersburg, Russia, has been remanded in police custody to appear at Hull Magistrates Court on Saturday, Humberside Police said.
The Portuguese-flagged Solong and US-registered tanker Stena Immaculate crashed off the East Yorkshire coast at about 10:00 GMT on Monday.
Filipino national Mark Angelo Pernia, 38, has been named as the crew member of the Solong who is missing and presumed dead, the Crown Prosecution Service said.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Ship captain charged over North Sea collision​

BBC News

Thanks for this. So it is now beyond routine interviewing.

Next I suppose will be to see if the captain was supposed to be on the bridge or failed to ensure a second in command was on the bridge.

 

[Killingworth]

We now know that Filipino national Mark Angelo Pernia, 38, died, his role is not given.

https://www.cps.gov.uk/cps/news/cps...charge-following-fatal-north-sea-vessel-crash

CPS authorises gross negligence manslaughter charge following fatal North Sea vessel crash​

14 March 2025|News

Frank Ferguson, Head of the Crown Prosecution Service Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said: “We have authorised Humberside Police to charge a Russian national in relation to a collision involving two vessels in the North Sea off the east coast of England.
“The Portuguese-registered cargo ship, the Solong, collided with the American-registered oil tanker, the Stena Immaculate, just before 10am on Monday, 10 March 2025.
“Filipino national Mark Angelo Pernia, 38, died.
“Vladimir Motin, 59, from St Petersburg, Russia, who was the vessel’s captain, is due to be charged with one count of gross negligence manslaughter.
“The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against this defendant are now active and that he has the right to a fair trial.
“It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”
Mr Motin will appear at Hull Magistrates’ Court on Saturday, 15 March.

Notes to editors​

• Vladimir Motin, [DOB: 18/02/1966], is from St Petersburg, Russia.
• He is charged with gross negligence manslaughter.
• The CPS Special Crime Division deals with some of the most complex and sensitive cases in England and Wales including disasters, serious criminal allegations against police officers, corporate manslaughter and election offences.

 

[edwin_m]

MAIG interim report published: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/solong-and-stena-immaculate-interim-report-published

Generally just confirms what we already know, but to note:

At 0700, Solong’s master returned to the bridge and took over the watch as the lone watchkeeper.

 

[Lewisham2221]

Yes, an 'anchor watch' is required, which includes a constant lookout.


I have not been able to find any informed discussion of events on the bridge of the tanker. It is operated by the US government. They may prefer it that way.

MAIG interim report published: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/solong-and-stena-immaculate-interim-report-published

Generally just confirms what we already know, but to note:

At 0700, Solong’s master returned to the bridge and took over the watch as the lone watchkeeper.

The BBC is reporting that

"Neither Solong nor Stena Immaculate had a dedicated lookout on the bridge."

I'm not particularly well versed on maritime procedures and terminology, so it could well be that that isn't anywhere near as concerning as it sounds, but I'll leave that up to those more knowledgeable in the field to clarify.

Source:
BBC News - Ships had no lookouts before crash, says report

Tanker and ship had no 'lookouts' before North Sea crash, says report

The Stena Immaculate was hit by the Solong cargo ship off the coast of East Yorkshire on 10 March.

www.bbc.com

 

[edwin_m]

I'm not particularly well versed on maritime procedures and terminology, so it could well be that that isn't anywhere near as concerning as it sounds, but I'll leave that up to those more knowledgeable in the field to clarify.

In the case of the Solong I think it could be a problem. Various previous MAIB reports have criticised the practice of sailing overnight with only one person on the bridge. I'm not sure whether that also applies to anchor watches.

 

[Indigo Soup]

I'm not particularly well versed on maritime procedures and terminology, so it could well be that that isn't anywhere near as concerning as it sounds, but I'll leave that up to those more knowledgeable in the field to clarify.

This is one of those areas where there's a big difference between 'industry standard practice' and 'safe practice'.

Many shipping companies endeavour to keep crewing costs as low as possible without incurring excessive fines for violating legal requirements - which may or may not entail actually complying with them. Any relationship of either to safe practice may be entirely accidental, at least at the highly cutthroat end of the market. It's well known that short-sea trading ships are basically powered by sleep deprivation.

In the case of the Solong I think it could be a problem. Various previous MAIB reports have criticised the practice of sailing overnight with only one person on the bridge. I'm not sure whether that also applies to anchor watches.

They've criticised a lack of adequate anchor watches in the past. I don't think they've ever published a report into a collision between two ships where there wasn't some shortcoming found on both.