News / Video footage shows moment of impact between Solong and US tanker

SOLONG pictured on 11 March 2025 (Photo: Maritime and Coastguard Agency)

Video footage has emerged of the collision between the containership Solong and US tanker Stena Immaculate, filmed from a nearby tanker at the mouth of the Humber river, UK. 

The UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) also announced that it would be leading the safety investigation, with support from Portugal’s authority, where Solong is registered, and US Coastguard. 

MAIB said it was initially focusing on witness accounts and digital data. Once the vessels are secured, it will conduct a “detailed inspection of both vessels and manage the retrieval of the voyage data recorders (VDRs)”. 

Pole Star Global meanwhile said that its data showed that there had been “no concerns with Stena Immaculate’s vessel flag, management, or ownership structures.

“However, periods of non-AIS reporting were flagged between 25th May 2023 and 28th May 2023 (two days).”

It said of Solong: “Looking at the ship’s movement history, ownership, and management structures, there is no cause for concern. The only issue flagged was a period of non-AIS reporting between 23rd September 2024 – 27th September 2024 (for a period of four days). During this time, the ship was travelling from Schiedam – in the Netherlands to Rotterdam.”

MAIB said that it had become clear that Solong frequently travelled the route between Grangemouth and Rotterdam. The investigation will look into the navigational practices on both vessels; manning and fatigue management; the condition and maintenance of the ships; and the weather – which was foggy at the time, although this is reasonably common in that area. 

The video footage, captured by OrcaAI’s SeaPod lookout unit, was mounted on tanker Ionic Aspis, anchored off the port of Grimsby. 

One video shows dense fog, “that would likely have prevented the crew of the feeder containership Solong from seeing the Stena Immaculate with the human eye”, according to OrcaAI. 

The second video shows the collision and subsequent explosion. 

“This video footage clearly shows the context of the accident, that is the fog conditions at the time, while the moment of impact is also shown clearly,” commented Yarden Gross, CEO and co-founder of Orca AI. 

“This week’s collision is another stark reminder of the fragility of maritime navigation. Despite technological advancements, crews still rely heavily on traditional navigation tools that struggle with target detection in low visibility conditions, rough weather, and dense fog.  

“Compounding these challenges, crew fatigue remains a critical issue, reducing reaction times and increasing the risk of human error. By integrating AI, ships can operate with greater autonomy, improving crew situational awareness, optimizing response times, and ultimately reducing risks. These advancements empower crews with smarter, data-driven decision-making tools to navigate safely and efficiently.” 

According to a coastal seafarer writing for TradeWinds, Clarksons recorded that Solong had made 17 port calls in 30 days, adding: “For a coastal feeder ship, this is not unusual. What is also common for small vessels is that the crew complement is small.” He said on the day of the accident it was 14-strong. 

“This workload can easily lead to exhaustion, with little time in between ports to recoup.” 

MAIB outlined the details of the incident: “On Monday morning at 01.30 UTC, Solong passed to the east of the Longstone lighthouse and altered course onto a heading of approximately 150° at a speed of about 16.4 knots. At 09.47 UTC it struck the Stena Immaculate that was at anchor off the entrance to the River Humber. 36 crew from both vessels were recovered, but tragically, one member of crew from Solong remains unaccounted for.” 

You can see more images here.