Photo from social media showing flames aboard the US flagged oil tanker Stena Immaculate
Off the East Yorkshire coast, a grave incident is unfolding where the U.S.-flagged oil tanker MV Stena Immaculate loaded with jet fuel, a ship designated critical to US national security in the Department of Transportation’s Tanker Security Program (TSP), was struck while at anchor by the Portuguese-flagged containership MV Solong.
The collision has set both vessels ablaze, triggering extensive search and rescue operations. The crews have abandoned both ships. While initial reports suggest all U.S. Merchant Mariners are reportedly safe in lifeboats, one crew member from the Solong remains unaccounted for.
“It appears that Solong did not slow down or maneuver. It rammed straight into the side of Stena Immaculate,” said maritime historian Sal Mercogliano in a video analyzing the AIS ship tracks.
The Stena Immaculate is one of only ten vessels enrolled in the DOT’s TSP, which provides essential ships for the Department of Defense. Neither Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy nor Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has issued a statement. The vessel is one of three tankers operated in the TSP by Crowley-Stena Marine Solutions, a joint venture between US-based Crowley, which manages the vessel, and Stena Bulk USA.
The Stena Immaculate was anchored off the Humber Estuary when the Solong struck it at 9:48 a.m. on Monday. The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency is coordinating the emergency response with search and rescue helicopters from Humberside and lifeboats from Skegness, Bridlington, Mablethorpe, and Cleethorpes. A fixed-wing aircraft and nearby vessels with firefighting capabilities are also supporting the operation.
Crowley provided the following statement to gCaptain:
“At approximately 10 a.m. UTC/ 5 a.m. EST on March 10, 2025, while anchored off the North Sea coast near Hull, United Kingdom, the Crowley-managed tanker Stena Immaculate was struck by the container ship Solong.
“The Stena Immaculate sustained a ruptured cargo tank containing Jet-A1 fuel due to the allision. A fire occurred as a result of the allision, and fuel was reported released. The Stena Immaculate crew abandoned the vessel following multiple explosions onboard. All Crowley mariners are safe and fully accounted for.
“Crowley immediately initiated its emergency vessel response plan and is actively working with public agencies to contain the fire and secure the vessel.
“Our first priority is the safety of the people and environment. We will provide more updates as information becomes available,” the statement said.
“It appears that Solong just straight and straight out rammed into the side of Stena Immaculate,” said maritime historian Sal Mercogliano in a video analysing the AIS ship tracks.
A U.S. military spokesperson told Reuters the tanker was on a short-term charter to the U.S. Navy’s Military when it was hit off northeast England.
All U.S. Merchant Mariners aboard the Stena Immaculate have been accounted for and are safely in lifeboats. However, preliminary reports indicate one crew member from Solong has been reported missing.
The cause of the collision remains under investigation, with a senior U.S. official at the White House telling gCaptain that foul play has not been ruled out.
The Tanker Security Program, established to ensure a core fleet of U.S.-based product tankers are available for the U.S. Department of Defense needs, only has ten ships enrolled. With over 7,500 oil tankers worldwide, the chances of an incident on one of the ten TSP tankers critical to Department of Defense operations and the US Navy are remarkably low.
So far officials have indicated no foul play is involved.
The scarcity of U.S.-flagged tankers underscores the vulnerability of the nation’s strategic maritime assets. This was likely an accident but with global oil tanker incidents resulting in spills reduced to fewer than ten per year, the likelihood of such a catastrophic event involving a TSP vessel is alarmingly low, making this incident suspicious.
The Stena Immaculate is an oil tanker sailing under the US flag. Built in 2017, the eight-year-old ship has a carrying capacity of 49,000 tons, with an overall length of 183 meters (600 feet) and a width of 32 meters. She’s owned by Swedish Marine Services and was built in China. DNV is her classification society, and she’s underwritten by the Steamship Mutual Underwriting Association.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates as gCaptain continues to investigate.
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