The captain of the Solong container ship, sailing under the Portuguese flag, has pleaded not guilty to charges of gross negligence and involuntary manslaughter following a deadly collision with the U.S.-flagged tanker Stena Immaculate off the east coast of the United Kingdom.
Vladimir Motin, 59, from Saint Petersburg, Russia, faces charges related to the March 10, 2025 incident in which Solong collided at a speed of 16 knots with the anchored Stena Immaculate approximately 14 nautical miles northeast of Spurn Head.
According to a preliminary report from the UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch, Solong struck the port side of Stena Immaculate, causing aviation fuel to leak and ignite. The resulting fire spread to containers aboard the Solong.
The collision occurred under patchy visibility conditions ranging from 0.25 to 2.0 nautical miles. Neither vessel had a dedicated lookout on the bridge at the time of the incident.
Sailor Mark Pernia, who was on the forecastle during the impact, remains missing and is presumed dead.
The Stena Immaculate, operated by U.S.-based company Crowley and chartered by the U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command, was carrying over 220,000 barrels of aviation fuel and was anchored in accordance with instructions from local port authorities.
Crowley stated that the tanker was “operating in full compliance with applicable watchkeeping safety regulations and company policies for anchored vessels.”
The incident remains under investigation by authorities in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Portugal.
