Containership likely to sink after North Sea collision

The Solong containership involved in Monday’s collision in the UK North Sea is unlikely to remain afloat, British maritime minister Mike Kane has said.

“Modelling suggests that should Solong remain afloat, it will remain clear of land for the next few hours. The assessment of HM Coastguard is, however, that it is unlikely the vessel will remain afloat,” Kane told parliament, adding also that the vessel’s missing crewmember was unlikely to be found and presumed deceased.

The fire onboard the product tanker Stena Immaculate, triggered by the collision, has greatly diminished, but the Solong is still alight, the UK coastguard said on Tuesday.

The 140-m-long Solong separated from the Stena Immaculate late last night and began drifting southwards from the scene of the collision. It is being monitored, with tugs on the scene to “make sure the vessel remains away from the coast.”

“Safety vessels and other vessels with firefighting capabilities are still on scene with more arriving today,” the coastguard said in a statement.

The Solong was earlier reported to be carrying containers of sodium cyanide, but the vessel’s owner, Ernst Russ, has denied these claims.

“We are able to confirm that there are no containers on board laden with sodium cyanide, as has been misreported. There are four empty containers that have previously contained the hazardous chemical, and these containers will continue to be monitored,” the company said in a statement.

The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency is developing a plan to salvage the vessels, with Dutch contractor Boskalis already appointed to work on the US-flagged Stena Immaculate, which was carrying 220,000 barrels of jet fuel at the time of the incident.