North Sea collision – latest: Cargo ship captain arrested over collision with oil tanker as one sailor feared dead – UK Times

The man arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter over Monday’s tanker collision off England’s northeast coast is the captain of the Solong container ship, the ships owner told the BBC reported on Tuesday.

Earlier, Humberside Police confirmed that a 59-year-old man had been arrested.

The HM Coastguard’s Counter Pollution and Salvage (CPS) Team addresses maritime pollution incidents. This ranges from oil spills to debris such as plastics and timber.

Responsibility for responding to maritime pollution within the UK’s Exclusive Economic Zone, extending up to 200 nautical miles from land, primarily falls to HM Coastguard.

However, Local port or harbour authorities handle incidents within their jurisdictions, often deploying their own counter-pollution equipment, the coastguards website says.

For pollution originating from land, environmental regulators like the Environment Agency or local councils may take charge.

If the pollution exceeds the responsible party’s capacity to manage, the CPS Team ensures an adequate response to protect public health and the environment. They collaborate with specialist agencies, including nature conservation bodies and fishery regulators, to assess potential impacts and guide the response strategy.

For large-scale incidents, they utilise dedicated pollution response equipment and contractors, with stockpiles strategically located across the UK to ensure rapid deployment within 15 hours.

A maritime expert said “human factors” play a major role in most collisions similar to the North Sea crash between a cargo ship and a tanker.

Dr Seyedvahid Vakili, of the University of Southampton, said at this stage it was “difficult to determine the main cause of the collision”.

He said: “In most cases human factors play a significant role.

“This is particularly relevant for container vessels where high workloads and fatigue can be major contributing factors.

“At this stage it needs further comprehensive investigation.”

Tiago Alves, a professor at Cardiff University’s School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, said on Monday that the rescued seafarers “can contribute to a future investigation”.

He said: “The oil tanker was seemingly under a military mission and might have been found, unexpectedly, anchored in an area that is not common for ships to moor.

“The tanker is now visible on vesselfinder.com (a ship tracking website), but it may have also been radar silent at the time of the crash, for security reasons.

“Only a thorough investigation will reach a final conclusion on what happened.”

The Solong container ship involved in a collision in the North Sea on Monday is now expected to stay afloat, the Transport Secretary said.

Heidi Alexander said she met with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s chief executive Virginia McVea on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the response to the incident.

She said: “I am reassured to hear indications from the ship’s owners which suggest the sodium cyanide containers were empty and that efforts to confirm this by the salvors are underway.”

I was also pleased to have been informed that early indications suggest that both vessels are now expected to stay afloat and that the Solong can be towed away from the shore, and salvage operations can get under way.”

I will continue to monitor the response and have asked for regular updates, including on any potential environmental impacts, across government and our agencies.”

Karin Ström, Vice President at procurement and supply chain consultancy Proxima, said the collision between the MV Stena Immaculate and MV Solong was a major incident with serious consequences for shipping and global supply chains.

She said: “The collision between the MV Stena Immaculate and the MV Solong represents a major incident with significant implications for shipping and global supply chains. The explosions, fires, and potential environmental hazards underscore the high risks associated with the transportation of hazardous materials.

“From a shipping and supply chain perspective, the immediate impacts are already being felt, with key shipping lanes in the North Sea closed or disrupted.

“In the medium term, we can expect continued closures, re-routing, and delays of vessels, particularly affecting key shuttle ports like Rotterdam to Felixstowe, Tilbury, Hull, and Middlesbrough, as well as short sea shipments from northern Europe. This disruption will have a direct impact on industries that rely on just-in-time delivery, especially the retail and automotive sectors.

“Retailers are likely to turn to alternative transport solutions to secure their supply chains, moving goods into southern ports and utilising rail to transport containers to northern distribution centres.

“Retailers with strong rail network contracts will be better positioned to manage the delays, while those dependent on shuttle routes between northern Europe and northern England may face more strain. Additionally, road and air freight will see a rise in volume for critical transports.

“This incident may also lead to regulatory changes, particularly around the transportation of dangerous goods and environmental protection. If further contributing factors are revealed during the investigation, we can anticipate increased oversight and potentially higher operational costs for shipping companies handling hazardous cargo.”

Tom Brook, Ocean Conservation Specialist at WWF-UK, said: “Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this incident. While it’s too soon to fully understand the impacts, we know that oil spills can have devastating and long-lasting effects on marine ecosystems and wildlife.

“However, many marine species, including fish and dolphins likely moved away from the scene quite quickly, and the full environmental impact may not be clear until we understand the scale of the event.

“Unlike other oil spills, we may not see birds, other species, or habitats drenched in oil. From the information available, the incident involves jet fuel, which is likely to evaporate off more rapidly than heavier oils. The ability to respond quickly may also help mitigate the broader environmental impact, in an otherwise tragic situation.”

Maritime minister Mike Kane has said a Liberal Democrat MP was “right to raise” the issue of whether foreign interference was at play in the incident.

Mr Kane was asked by Calum Miller to “assure us the government and its agencies will make an assessment so we can be clear there has been no foreign interference in this terrible accident”.

The minister replied: “At the moment, we feel there is no malign intention to this incident. However, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch will investigate.

“They will give me their initial findings as soon as humanly possible.

“We will take the matter from there, but he is right to raise it. “

A 59-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter in connection with yesterday’s collision in the North Sea, Humberside Police have said.

Humberside Police have begun a criminal investigation into the cause of the collision and are working in collaboration with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Superintendent Craig Nicholson said: “Humberside Police have taken primacy for the investigation of any potential criminal offences which arise from the collision between the two vessels.

“Extensive work has already been carried out, and we are working closely with our partners to understand what happened, and to provide support to all of those affected.

“Following enquiries undertaken by my team, we have arrested a 59-year-old man on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter in connection with the collision, this follows the conclusion of search operations by HM Coastguard for the missing crew member of the SOLONG.

“Our thoughts are with the family of the missing crew member, and I have appointed Family Liaison Officers to make contact and provide support to the family.

“The man arrested remains in custody at this time whilst enquiries are underway, and we continue speaking with all those involved to establish the full circumstances of the incident.”