Russian captain in court over North Sea collision

The Russian captain of a cargo vessel involved in a fatal collision in the North Sea has appeared before a London court accused of gross negligent manslaughter, UK media reported on April 14.

Vladimir Motin, 59, from St Petersburg, appeared via videolink from Hull prison at the Old Bailey on April 14 for a plea hearing. The proceedings were adjourned until May 30 due to the absence of a Russian interpreter.

Motin was charged days after the March 10 incident in which the Portuguese-flagged MV Solong, under his command, collided with the MV Stena Immaculate, a US-flagged oil tanker anchored off the Humber Estuary.

The collision narrowly avoided a major environmental disaster. The Stena Immaculate was carrying more than 200,000 tonnes of jet fuel, while both ships were laden with heavy marine fuel. Several explosions followed the impact, and thick smoke was visible for hours as the vessels, temporarily entangled, drifted apart.

The Stena Immaculate sustained significant damage, including a large breach to its hull, though it remained at anchor. All crew members on board managed to evacuate safely after activating a fire suppression system, drawing praise for their quick response.

One crew member from the Solong, 38-year-old Filipino seafarer Mark Angelo Pernia, is missing and presumed dead. He had been working on the forward deck at the time of the collision.

Following the incident, approximately 17,000 barrels of jet fuel were spilt into the sea. In addition, thousands of plastic pellets from containers aboard the Solong leaked into the water and washed ashore along the Norfolk coast, prompting a clean-up operation.

Tugboats were deployed to monitor the Solong, which began drifting along the coast after the collision. Both the Solong and Stena Immaculate are currently undergoing salvage operations. The Solong is owned by a German shipping company called Ernst Russ, based in Hamburg and publicly traded. The Stena Immaculate is owned by Sweden’s Stena Sphere, controlled by the country’s billionaire Olsson family. The vessel is managed by US logistics firm Crowley.