Video captures moment of impact as container ship Solong hits Stena tanker

Video footage provided by an Israeli maritime technology company has apparently captured the moment that Stena Bulk’s MR tanker Stena Immaculate, loaded with 220,000 barrels of jet A1 fuel, was hit by Portugal-flagged container feeder vessel Solong.

The video footage was captured by Orca AI’s camera unit, called SeaPod, mounted on board tanker Ionic Aspis, which was anchored off the port of Grimsby close to the Stena tanker and shows the accident as it happened.

Orca AI said its footage has been combined from two videos and showed a "dense fog" at the time of the incident.

"One captured by SeaPod’s day cameras show[ed] the dense fog that would likely have prevented the crew of the feeder container ship Solong from seeing Stena Immaculate with the human eye. The second video captured by the SeaPod’s thermal cameras shows the approach of Solong and the explosion as it ploughed into the tanker," Orca AI said.

Orca AI chief executive and co-founder Yarden Gross said the company has provided the footage to officials involved in the investigations into the incident.

“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,” Mr Gross said.

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