Latest news with #Stena
The Sun
3 days ago
- The Sun
Russian captain in North Sea crash due in UK court
LONDON: The Russian captain of a ship which struck an oil tanker in the North Sea was to enter a plea Friday in a UK court after being charged with a crewman's death. Vladimir Motin, 59, was due to appear for a hearing at London's Old Bailey criminal court charged with gross negligence manslaughter. His container ship, the Portuguese-flagged Solong, rammed into the jet-fuel-laden Stena Immaculate on the morning of March 10, setting both vessels ablaze and triggering a massive off-shore rescue operation. The US-flagged tanker, which had been chartered by the US military, was anchored 13 miles (21 kilometres) from the port of Hull, northeastern England, at the time of the crash. One Solong crew member, Filipino Mark Angelo Pernia, died in the collision, which also sparked fears of ecological damage after a tank containing fuel was ruptured. Plastic pellets from the container ship were also found floating in the sea in the following days. Motin, from Primorsky, St Petersburg, appeared by videolink from prison in Hull in the last hearing in April, when the judge pushed back the plea hearing due to the lack of a Russian interpreter. No foul play A preliminary report found that 'neither the Solong nor Stena Immaculate had a dedicated lookout on the bridge' at the time of the incident and that visibility was 'patchy'. The UK government has ruled out foul play. The stationary oil tanker was operating 'in compliance' with watch requirements for an anchored vessel, its owner Crowley has insisted. The Solong penetrated one of Stena's cargo tanks, 'releasing aviation fuel into the sea and onto the bow of Solong', the Marine Accident Investigation Branch detailed in its report. 'The aviation fuel was ignited by the heat generated by the force of the collision,' it said. It took nearly two days to extinguish visible flames on board in a huge firefighting operation. Both vessels have been relocated to different ports for salvage operations and damage assessments. Ernst Russ, which owns the Solong, and Crowley have filed legal claims against each other. While environmental disaster from the jet fuel spillage was averted, the coastguard undertook a clean-up operation after discovering clumps of plastic pellets, or nurdles, in the sea and washed ashore. The nurdles -- tiny pieces of plastic resin which are non-toxic but pose a risk to wildlife -- came from the Solong which was carrying 15 containers of the pellets. More than 16 tonnes (16,000 kilograms) of plastics were removed from beaches in northeastern Lincolnshire, according to the local council.
The Sun
3 days ago
- The Sun
Russian captain in UK Court over deadly North Sea crash
LONDON: The Russian captain of a ship which struck an oil tanker in the North Sea was to enter a plea Friday in a UK court after being charged with a crewman's death. Vladimir Motin, 59, was due to appear for a hearing at London's Old Bailey criminal court charged with gross negligence manslaughter. His container ship, the Portuguese-flagged Solong, rammed into the jet-fuel-laden Stena Immaculate on the morning of March 10, setting both vessels ablaze and triggering a massive off-shore rescue operation. The US-flagged tanker, which had been chartered by the US military, was anchored 13 miles (21 kilometres) from the port of Hull, northeastern England, at the time of the crash. One Solong crew member, Filipino Mark Angelo Pernia, died in the collision, which also sparked fears of ecological damage after a tank containing fuel was ruptured. Plastic pellets from the container ship were also found floating in the sea in the following days. Motin, from Primorsky, St Petersburg, appeared by videolink from prison in Hull in the last hearing in April, when the judge pushed back the plea hearing due to the lack of a Russian interpreter. No foul play A preliminary report found that 'neither the Solong nor Stena Immaculate had a dedicated lookout on the bridge' at the time of the incident and that visibility was 'patchy'. The UK government has ruled out foul play. The stationary oil tanker was operating 'in compliance' with watch requirements for an anchored vessel, its owner Crowley has insisted. The Solong penetrated one of Stena's cargo tanks, 'releasing aviation fuel into the sea and onto the bow of Solong', the Marine Accident Investigation Branch detailed in its report. 'The aviation fuel was ignited by the heat generated by the force of the collision,' it said. It took nearly two days to extinguish visible flames on board in a huge firefighting operation. Both vessels have been relocated to different ports for salvage operations and damage assessments. Ernst Russ, which owns the Solong, and Crowley have filed legal claims against each other. While environmental disaster from the jet fuel spillage was averted, the coastguard undertook a clean-up operation after discovering clumps of plastic pellets, or nurdles, in the sea and washed ashore. The nurdles -- tiny pieces of plastic resin which are non-toxic but pose a risk to wildlife -- came from the Solong which was carrying 15 containers of the pellets. More than 16 tonnes (16,000 kilograms) of plastics were removed from beaches in northeastern Lincolnshire, according to the local council.
Wales Online
08-05-2025
- Wales Online
Holyhead port update on work to restore Storm Darragh damaged ferry terminal
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Stena Line has issued an update on Holyhead port as it works to restore a terminal damaged back in early December. All ferry services at the Anglesey port, owned by Stena Line, were cancelled before the Christmas period after damage during Storm Darragh. Terminal 3 was badly damaged in the incident with a video clip showing the collapse of the 'dolphin' platform which it is understood to have occurred as the Irish Ferries vessel Ulysses was leaving the berth. A dolphin is a structure that is used to guide, berth, or moor ships at a port, dock, or jetty. This also saw the adjacent Terminal 5 berth closed. That terminal reopened back in January which allowed for ferry services to resume between Holyhead and Dublin. Terminal 3 has remained closed but Stena today issued an update on when it would reopen. A port spokesperson said: "Following the completion of necessary repairs, Terminal 3 at Holyhead Port is on schedule to be brought back into operation on 1 July. Since the reopening of Terminal 5 in January, the Port has been operating a full ferry schedule, while teams have been working diligently to repair the damage to Terminal 3." Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox They added: "We are committed to Holyhead Port's long-term future as a vital connection between Wales and Ireland and are putting plans in place for an investment strategy to ensure the resilience of the infrastructure to safeguard the port's sustainable future. (Image: Google) 'We will continue to work with our ferry partners to provide a full ferry schedule while the repairs are completed to ensure no loss in capacity. We will also work collaboratively with the ferry operators to ensure that future planned maintenance work on both berths can be carried out to protect the resilience of the structures whilst maintaining full operations and capacity at the port.' An Irish Sea Resilience Taskforce has been set up, bringing together representatives from across Wales, Ireland and beyond to strengthen vital sea connections between the two Celtic nations. Welsh Government's Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates said they and the UK Government were already committed to supporting the port through the breakwater scheme - putting £40m of funding in place. He added: 'We will also look at how we fund future development at the port and how we get the best bang for our buck from any investments made." The taskforce's core membership includes representatives from the Welsh, Irish, UK, Scottish and Northern Ireland governments, local authorities, port operators, ferry companies, and logistics industry representatives, and will call upon experts for input into specific themes.
North Wales Live
08-05-2025
- Business
- North Wales Live
Holyhead port update on work to restore Storm Darragh damaged ferry terminal
Stena Line has issued an update on Holyhead port as it works to restore a terminal damaged back in early December. All ferry services at the Anglesey port, owned by Stena Line, were cancelled before the Christmas period after damage during Storm Darragh. Terminal 3 was badly damaged in the incident with a video clip showing the collapse of the 'dolphin' platform which it is understood to have occurred as the Irish Ferries vessel Ulysses was leaving the berth. A dolphin is a structure that is used to guide, berth, or moor ships at a port, dock, or jetty. This also saw the adjacent Terminal 5 berth closed. That terminal reopened back in January which allowed for ferry services to resume between Holyhead and Dublin. Terminal 3 has remained closed but Stena today issued an update on when it would reopen. A port spokesperson said: "Following the completion of necessary repairs, Terminal 3 at Holyhead Port is on schedule to be brought back into operation on 1 July. Since the reopening of Terminal 5 in January, the Port has been operating a full ferry schedule, while teams have been working diligently to repair the damage to Terminal 3." Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox They added: "We are committed to Holyhead Port's long-term future as a vital connection between Wales and Ireland and are putting plans in place for an investment strategy to ensure the resilience of the infrastructure to safeguard the port's sustainable future. 'We will continue to work with our ferry partners to provide a full ferry schedule while the repairs are completed to ensure no loss in capacity. We will also work collaboratively with the ferry operators to ensure that future planned maintenance work on both berths can be carried out to protect the resilience of the structures whilst maintaining full operations and capacity at the port.' An Irish Sea Resilience Taskforce has been set up, bringing together representatives from across Wales, Ireland and beyond to strengthen vital sea connections between the two Celtic nations. Welsh Government's Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates said they and the UK Government were already committed to supporting the port through the breakwater scheme - putting £40m of funding in place. He added: 'We will also look at how we fund future development at the port and how we get the best bang for our buck from any investments made." The taskforce's core membership includes representatives from the Welsh, Irish, UK, Scottish and Northern Ireland governments, local authorities, port operators, ferry companies, and logistics industry representatives, and will call upon experts for input into specific themes. Mr Skates added: 'The strategic importance of these links is clear. This taskforce will examine how we can prevent similar disruptions in the future and look at how we can respond when challenges arise at any of our ports, building on the experiences of last December.'
CBS News
12-03-2025
- CBS News
Cargo ship captain arrested on suspicion of manslaughter over collision with U.S.-flagged tanker
British police on Tuesday arrested the captain of a cargo ship on suspicion of manslaughter as they searched for answers about why it hit a tanker transporting jet fuel for the U.S. military off eastern England a day earlier, setting both vessels ablaze. One sailor was presumed dead in the collision. Humberside Police said the 59-year-old was detained "on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter in connection with the collision." He wasn't named by the police and has not been charged. Shipping company Ernst Russ, the owner of the Portugal-flagged container carrier the Solong, said the arrested man was the ship's master. It said he "and our entire team are actively assisting with the investigations." An American crew member of the U.S.-flagged Stena Immaculate tanker who anonymously spoke to CBS News because he wasn't permitted to speak with media about the crash said the vessel had been anchored on the spot where the collision occurred. The tanker had relayed its coordinates, the man said, meaning all other vessels in the area should have known its position. The crew member said the Solong "came out of the blue" and struck the Stena. He said he was near to the part of the Stena where the Solong made its impact, and that he had only seconds to react when he heard shouts to brace before impact. The government said the cause of the collision was being investigated. There was no indication of foul play, but it sparked fears of significant environmental damage. U.K. officials were watching for damage to birds and sea life after jet fuel poured into the North Sea when the Solong broadsided the Stena Monday. The collision sparked explosions and fires that burned for more than 24 hours. A U.S. official told CBS News Monday that the Stena was carrying cargo in support of the Defense Department. The collision did not impact operations or combat readiness, the official said. Footage filmed from a helicopter on Tuesday morning showed the fire appeared to largely be out on the Stena, which had a large gash on its port side. The U.K. coast guard agency said Tuesday that the Solong was still alight. It said the cargo ship, whose front end was crushed and blackened, was drifting south, away from the tanker, and an approximately half-mile exclusion zone had been put in place around both ships. "No sign of pollution from vessels is observed at this time," British Transport Minister Mike Kane told lawmakers in the House of Commons. The government said air quality readings were normal and the risk to public health onshore was "very low." Kane initially said the Solong was expected to sink, but the government said later that both vessels were likely to stay afloat. The collision triggered a major rescue operation by lifeboats, coast guard aircraft and commercial vessels in the foggy North Sea. All but one of the 37 crew members from the two vessels were brought safely ashore in the port of Grimsby, about 150 miles (north of London, with no major injuries. One crew member was missing, and the coast guards called off the search late Monday. "Our working assumption is that, very sadly, the sailor is deceased," Kane said. The U.K. Marine Accident Investigation Branch has begun gathering evidence of what caused the Solong, bound from Grangemouth, Scotland, to Rotterdam, Netherlands, to hit the stationary tanker, which was anchored about 10 miles off the English coast. The investigation will be led by the U.S. and Portugal, the countries where the vessels are flagged. The 596-foot Stena Immaculate was operating as part of the U.S. government's Tanker Security Program, a group of commercial vessels that can be contracted to carry fuel for the military when needed. Its operator, U.S.-based maritime management firm Crowley, said that it was carrying 220,000 barrels of Jet-A1 fuel in 16 tanks, at least one of which was ruptured. The company said it was unclear how much fuel had leaked into the sea. The North Sea is home to a number of protected marine animals, as well as vital fishing stocks for the U.K. and other European countries. Oceana U.K. believes the collision took place near two protected areas in particular, including the Southern North Sea marine protected area, which is designated to protect the harbor porpoise, according to Naomi Tilley, the Oil and Gas Campaign Lead at Oceana U.K., an environmental group focused on oceans. "It's a really important area of breeding and a really large portion of the global population is found in that area," she told CBS News on Tuesday. The owner of the Solong said that contrary to earlier reports, the vessel wasn't carrying containers of sodium cyanide, which can produce harmful gas when combined with water. It said that four empty containers had previously contained the chemical. "Our team is actively engaged with all local authorities, and we will work with cleanup teams to ensure every effort is made to mitigate further impacts on the marine environment," the company said in a statement. Greenpeace U.K. said it was too early to assess the extent of any environmental damage from the collision, which took place near busy fishing grounds and major seabird colonies. Environmentalists said that oil and chemicals posed a risk to sea life, including whales and dolphins and to birds, including puffins, gannets and guillemots that live on coastal cliffs. Tom Webb, senior lecturer in marine ecology and conservation at the University of Sheffield, said that wildlife along that stretch of coast "is of immense biological, cultural and economic importance." Alex Lukyanov, who models oil spills at the University of Reading, said the environmental impact would depend on multiple factors, including "the size of the spill, weather conditions, sea currents, water waves, wind patterns and the type of oil involved."
