Fears of ‘devastating' environmental damage after ships collide in North Sea

English coastline near incident is home to many protected wildlife species

Smoke rises from the Solong cargo ship in the North Sea. The vessel is expected to sink. AFP

The UK is bracing for the environmental impact of the crash between a tanker laden with jet fuel and a cargo ship in the North Sea as police revealed a crew member of the vessel had been arrested for alleged negligence leading to the crash.

The US-flagged Stena Immaculate was at anchor when it was hit by the Solong, a Portuguese container ship sailing from Grangemouth in Scotland to Rotterdam in the Netherlands that is now expected to sink. Fires were still burning on the Solong 24 hours after the incident and a member of its crew is missing.

Jet fuel poured from a ruptured tank from the Stena Immaculate into the North Sea and collision sparked explosions and fires.

Its operator, US-based maritime management firm Crowley, said 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.

A 59-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter in connection with the collision, Humberside Police said on Tuesday. In an update to the UK Parliament, Transport Minister Mike Kane said the fire on the Stena Immaculate “appears to be extinguished, but the Solong continues to burn”.

“Although they became attached to each other during the collision, the Solong broke free of the Stena Immaculate late last night and began drifting southward," he said. “Modelling suggests that should the Solong remain afloat it’ll remain clear of land for the next few hours.

"The assessment of His Majesty’s Coastguard is, however, that it is unlikely the vessel will remain afloat. Tugboats are in the vicinity to ensure that the Solong remains away from the coast and to respond as the situation develops.”

Pollution experts and wildlife protection campaigners are warning about the possible impact of the incident on the coast where there are several marine protected areas.

Alex Lukyanov, researcher on advanced mathematical models of oil spills from the University of Reading in England, said the effect of “spills like the one in the North Sea are affected by multiple factors”.

“The size of the spill, weather, sea currents, water waves, wind patterns and the type of oil involved all play crucial roles in determining environmental outcomes. This particular incident is troubling because it appears to involve persistent oil, which breaks up slowly in water. The environmental toll could be severe.”

Martin Slater, director of operations at Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, said East Yorkshire's coast was home to significant colonies of seabirds including puffins, razorbills, gannets and kittiwakes, which were gathering offshore ahead of the nesting season, as well as wintering waders and migrant birds.

“We're very worried indeed about the threat to these birds,” he said. “If pollution spillage enters the Humber, this could potentially be devastating for the wildlife of the estuary, including important fish stocks and tens of thousands of overwintering and migrating birds who use the mudflats.”

Hugo Tagholm, executive director of marine campaign group Oceana UK, said there is also the threat of heavy fuel oil leaking from the ships “near not one but two marine protected areas – places that should be safe havens for wildlife”.

“Oil is always an accident waiting to happen in our ocean and we are all familiar with its devastating impacts – seabirds slick with oil, marine life struggling in tarry tidelines, and a toxic legacy that can impact wildlife and coastal communities for years. More oil will always result in more spills.”

Ciara Baines, a researcher at University of Leeds' School of Biology, said that the impact of the crash was likely to be less severe than if the tanker had been carrying crude oil.

“It is worth noting that exposure to oil pollution can impact wildlife in the long-term as well as the short-term. Oil pollution can increase cancer rates in wildlife and lead to a decline in the long-term health of marine life exposed to the oil spill.”

Seyedvahid Vakili, maritime expert at the University of Southampton, said the collision was similar to when the Iranian tanker Sanchi collided with another ship in poor visibility during navigational failure while waiting in an anchorage.

“The ship, carrying 136,000 tonnes of condensate oil, burned for over a week, releasing toxic fumes and oil slicks and causing severe ecological damage.”

A spokesman for the government's Marine Accident Investigation Branch said a team sent to Grimsby on Humberside was “gathering evidence and undertaking a preliminary assessment”.

Dutch maritime servicing company Boskalis said it had been given the responsibility of salvaging the Stena Immaculate and was “fully mobilising”.

Four firefighting ships were on their way to the site on Tuesday but the tanker would need to be cooled before the fire could be extinguished, said Boskalis.