A collision between a cargo ship carrying toxic chemicals and an oil tanker transporting jet fuel for the United States military in the North Sea raised concerns about an environmental disaster. The crash occurred on March 10, 2025, approximately 16 kilometres off the coast of Hull, a busy British port and fishing hub.
The British coastguard received the alarm at 3.18 pm Indian Standard Time, reporting that the Portuguese-flagged container ship Solong had crashed into the US-registered oil tanker Stena Immaculate, which was anchored in the North Sea, according to news organisation CNN. The collision sparked a massive fire, with plumes of black smoke seen rising into the sky. Video footage showed at least one of the vessels engulfed in flames.
Rescue operations involved the British coastguard and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. HM Coastguard confirmed that 36 people had been rescued, with one crew member taken to the hospital. However, one crew member from the Solong remained missing. The vessel’s Hamburg-based owner, Ernst Russ, later confirmed that the search had been called off.
Maritime experts questioned how the collision could have occurred in broad daylight, despite modern navigation and safety measures. Emergency response expert Matthew Schanck noted that international regulations dictated how ships should be manoeuvred at sea. He told CNN, “Somebody should have been in charge of both vessels. And so, the fact that this has happened in quite a well-known area for traffic and shipping movements is quite extraordinary.”
Although a government source told British news outlet The Telegraph that initial investigations did not indicate foul play, authorities had not ruled it out entirely. The prime minister’s spokesperson described the incident as an “extremely concerning situation.”
The Solong was transporting an unspecified amount of alcohol and 15 containers of sodium cyanide, a chemical that releases highly toxic hydrogen cyanide gas when exposed to water, according tomaritime data provider Lloyd’s List Intelligence. Meanwhile, Stena Immaculate carried 220,000 barrels of jet fuel in 16 segregated cargo tanks.
Experts noted that jet fuel spills generally posed less environmental risk than crude oil spills. Schanck told CNN that jet fuel is a “light oil” and does not have the same thick, black appearance as crude oil spills. However, he warned of potential consequences from the smoke produced by the burning fuel.
Marine ecotoxicologist Mark Hartl from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh told CNN that “most of the jet fuel will evaporate very quickly.” While this reduced the risk to the aquatic environment, environmental groups expressed concerns about the broader ecological impact.
Paul Johnston, a senior scientist at Greenpeace Research Laboratories, highlighted the dangers posed to marine life, particularly near a breeding ground for harbour porpoises. “The jet fuel that entered the water close to a breeding ground for harbour porpoises is toxic to fish and other sea creatures. While we don’t know about the status of the containers holding sodium cyanide, we’re dealing with a highly toxic chemical that could cause serious harm. Any release of bunker fuel could also pose serious risks to nearby nature sanctuaries,” he said.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has initiated an assessment of counter-pollution responses. The Stena Immaculate's management company, Crowley, stated that it was supporting British authorities in their investigation.
HM Coastguard’s Counter Pollution and Salvage (CPS) Team remains responsible for responding to maritime pollution incidents within the UK’s Exclusive Economic Zone. For major pollution threats, the CPS Team could deploy pollution response equipment and collaborate with environmental agencies and local authorities.
As investigations continued, Martyn Boyers, chief executive of the nearby Port of Grimsby East, told CNN on March 10, 2025, “It’s difficult to actually suggest what went on, other than the fact it should never have happened.”