Sports Editor
On Mar. 10, a crash between the Solong, a Portuguese container ship, and the Stena Immaculate, an American military oil tanker carrying more than 220,000 barrels of jet fuel, caused a large oil spill in the North Sea. The crash and subsequent spill spawned a raging fire on both the Solong and the Stena Immaculate.
Though the extent of the environmental impact is still unknown, it is at the very least less impactful than a spill involving crude oil. Jet fuel is a light oil, which, while still detrimental to the environment, is not quite as harmful to marine life as crude oil. In addition, the continuous fire on the Solong burned away a lot of the fuel, producing harmful smoke, but overall, it reduced the direct impact on marine life. However, the spill will still significantly impact the marine environment. Citizens are finding pieces of debris from the crash all over beaches in Skegness, England. This debris includes nurdles, small pieces of resin or plastic, that threaten seals, birds, and other wildlife. Pollutants also stick easily to nurdles, making them even worse for the ecosystem.
The United Kingdom’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB), the Pentagon, and some Portuguese agencies are investigating the matter. The Pentagon is involved because the tanker was on a US military outing to deliver its oil to a depot in Yorkshire. The investigation looks to put charges of gross negligence manslaughter onto the captain of the Solong, 59-year-old Vladimir Motin, as one of his 14 crew members, 38-year-old Mark Angelo Pernia, is assumed dead. The overall incident is a highly unusual one. Each vessel should have at least one crew member in the cabin at all times, and the neglect of this can have disastrous consequences. Vessels such as these two come equipped with various safety features, including satellite navigation aids, communication systems, automatic identification systems, hailers, and more. Martyn Boyer, chief executive at Grimsby port, where the sailors sought refuge after the crash, commented, “There’s so much sophisticated equipment and gear…How on Earth did it happen?” Motin is set to face trial in London’s Old Bailey criminal court on Apr. 14. Fortunately, none of the 23 sailors on the Stena Immaculate are missing or presumed dead.
The property costs for the crash will likely be significant. Steamship Mutual insures the Stena Immaculate, while Skuld insures the Solong. Although neither company has decided to share any details of payments related to this case publicly, some experts estimate the price for the insurers of these vessels could pay upwards of 300 million dollars.
[Sources: BBC, CNN, Politico]
Categories: World