Missing Pinoy seafarer Mark Angelo Pernia presumed dead in collision

Stena offloads fire-damaged tanker for repair in Turkey
Adis Ajdin October 27, 2025 https://splash247.com/stena-offloads-fire-damaged-tanker-for-repair-in-t...

Stena Bulk has sold the fire-damaged Stena Immaculate to an undisclosed buyer who plans to repair the vessel at Desan Shipyard in Turkey.

The Swedish tanker owner confirmed the sale, saying the deal involves the 2017-built 49,700-dwt MR unit, which was badly damaged in a collision with the containership Solong in the North Sea in March 2025.

The vessel caught fire after being struck while anchored off the Humber Estuary, suffering severe hull and cargo tank damage. It had been carrying aviation fuel for the US military at the time of the incident.

After being salvaged, the ship was towed to Great Yarmouth’s Outer Harbour for inspection by insurance adjusters before later moving to Malta. Earlier this week, the tanker was sighted arriving in Tuzla, Turkey, ahead of its transfer to the new owner.

Stena Bulk said the buyer will carry out full repairs at Desan Shipyard. Prior to handover, the ship was reflagged from the US to Malta.

Authorities in the UK continue to investigate the collision. A civil claim between the parties involved is ongoing. The owners of the Stena Immaculate and Solong are due to face trial in London’s High Court no earlier than October 2026, following legal action filed by Stena Bulk Marine Services USA and Crowley-Stena Marine Solutions against MS Solong Schiffahrtsgesellschaft, part of Ernst Russ Group.

The collision led to the loss of more than 17,500 barrels of jet fuel and one fatality — a 38-year-old Filipino seafarer from the Solong, who remains missing and is presumed dead. The Solong’s master has pleaded not guilty to gross negligence manslaughter and will stand trial at the Old Bailey in January.

Fire-Damaged Stena Immaculate Sold For Repair In Turkey After Deadly North Sea Collision
MI News Network October 27, 2025 https://www.marineinsight.com/shipping-news/fire-damaged-stena-immaculat...

Stena Bulk has sold its fire-damaged tanker Stena Immaculate to an undisclosed buyer who intends to carry out major repairs at Desan Shipyard in Tuzla, Turkey.

The vessel was severely damaged in a fatal collision in the North Sea earlier this year. The 2017-built, 49,700-dwt MR tanker suffered severe structural and cargo tank damage after being struck by the Portuguese-flagged containership Solong in the North Sea on 10 March 2025.

The collision occurred while the tanker was anchored off the Humber Estuary, resulting in a fire that burned for days and led to the loss of over 17,500 barrels of jet fuel. At the time, the vessel was carrying aviation fuel for the US military.

Stena Bulk clarified that the tanker had not been sold for recycling, as previously speculated, but to a buyer who plans to fully repair the ship at Desan Shipyard. Before the handover, the vessel was reflagged from the United States to Malta.

After the accident, Stena Immaculate remained laid up in the United Kingdom for several months before being towed to Malta in late September. It was later seen arriving in Tuzla, Turkey, on 21 October, ahead of its transfer to the new owner.

Stena Bulk’s President and CEO, Erik Hånell, thanked everyone involved in the emergency response, salvage, and cargo transfer efforts. He said that despite the severe damage, the crew’s quick action helped prevent further losses and saved a large portion of the cargo. All crew members survived without serious injuries and were repatriated soon after the fire was contained.

Following the collision, the tanker was initially towed to Great Yarmouth’s Outer Harbour for inspection by insurance adjusters before being moved to Malta. The Solong, which also caught fire, was later towed to Scotland for the first phase of a salvage operation and was subsequently sold for recycling, arriving in Belgium in August.

UK authorities have criticised the Solong’s operations at the time, saying there was patchy fog in the area and the vessel reportedly failed to keep a proper lookout.

The Stena Immaculate had anchored at the site at around 6:50 p.m. on 9 March, with the Solong travelling at about 15 knots when it struck the port side of the tanker at approximately 9:47 a.m. the next morning.

A total of 36 crew members from both vessels were rescued after the collision, with the assistance of crew transfer vessels working nearby on offshore wind projects. However, one crew member from the Solong, 38-year-old Filipino seafarer Mark Angelo Pernia, was declared missing and is presumed dead.

Legal and criminal proceedings linked to the collision remain ongoing. Stena Bulk Marine Services USA LLC and Crowley-Stena Marine Solutions LLC, which own and manage the Stena Immaculate, have filed a civil claim against MS Solong Schiffahrtsgesellschaft MBH & Co KG, a subsidiary of the Ernst Russ Group and owner of the Solong.

At a preliminary hearing before Mr Justice Bright at the High Court, counsel representing the Solong’s owner said both sides had agreed that the civil trial would not take place before October 2026.

Meanwhile, the Solong’s master, 59-year-old Russian national Vladimir Motin, has pleaded not guilty to gross negligence manslaughter over the death of the missing crew member. He is set to face trial at the Old Bailey in January 2026.