Fire Onboard Stena Immaculate Oil Tanker Diminishes, Salvage Operations Underway
A fire onboard the Stena Immaculate oil tanker has greatly diminished with no visible flames, as initial salvage activities begin in the North Sea, as reported by Crowley, the manager of the vessel.
Crowley is actively collaborating with U.K. agencies to support the incident response, salvage operations, and environmental impact mitigation efforts following the container ship Solong striking the anchored tanker Stena Immaculate on Monday, March 10.
It is important to note that Solong’s owner has characterized the event as a collision rather than an impact with a stationary vessel.
The fire onboard the Stena Bulk-owned oil tanker Stena Immaculate has significantly reduced with no visible flames, according to Crowley. The company is closely involved in supporting response efforts led by the U.K. Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).
“The vessel is currently stationary at anchor and is being monitored by Crowley representatives, partners, and government authorities. We are actively participating in the initial salvage activities,” Crowley stated.
Emphasizing the priority of ensuring the health and wellbeing of the mariners in Grimsby and the response effort to mitigate environmental threats, Crowley is fully committed to the ongoing operations.
Dutch marine services provider Boskalis has been tasked with salvaging the U.S.-flagged tanker, as per earlier reports.
While the exact volume of fuel released due to the incident remains uncertain, initial assessments indicate limited impacts due to the fire exposure and evaporation of the Jet A1 fuel.
Furthermore, U.K. agencies are actively monitoring air quality and potential public health impacts onshore, with current readings showing low or normal levels.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the cause of the incident and its repercussions.
Crowley clarified that the individual apprehended by local police is not a member of the Crowley crew. The man was arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter in connection with the incident, and a criminal investigation is currently underway.