Rescue crews work on site after a cargo ship was hit by a tanker carrying jet fuel for the U.S. military off eastern England, on March 10, 2025, setting both vessels ablaze and sending fuel pouring into the North Sea.
| Photo Credit: AP

British officials were concerned about possible environmental damage on Tuesday (March 11, 2025) and looking for answers a day after a cargo ship carrying a toxic chemical hit a tanker transporting jet fuel for the U.S. military off eastern England, setting both vessels ablaze.

Jet fuel from a ruptured tank poured into the North Sea after the Portugal-registered container ship Solong broadsided the US-flagged tanker MV Stena Immaculate on Monday.

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The collision sparked explosions and fires that burned for 24 hours. Footage filmed from a helicopter on Tuesday morning showed the fire appeared to be out on the tanker, which had a large gash on its port side.

British government minister Matthew Pennycook said it was a “fast-moving and dynamic situation”.

A woman walks a dog on the beach, near the location where a tanker carrying jet fuel for the U.S. military was hit by a container ship, in Withernsea, Britain, on March 11, 2025.
| Photo Credit:
Reuters

He said air quality readings were normal and the coast guards “are well-equipped to contain and disperse any oil spills”, with equipment including booms deployed from vessels to stop oil spreading, and aircraft that can spray dispersants on a spill.

Rescue operation

The collision triggered a major rescue operation by lifeboats, coast guard aircraft and commercial vessels in the foggy North Sea.

All but one of the 37 crew members from the two vessels were brought ashore in the port of Grimsby, about 150 miles (240 kilometers) north of London, with one hospitalised. One crew member was missing, and the coast guards suspended the search late Monday.

U.K. Marine accident investigators have begun gathering evidence of what caused the Solong, bound from Grangemouth in Scotland to Rotterdam in the Netherlands, to hit the stationary tanker, which was anchored some 10 miles (16 kilometers) off the English coast.

The Royal National Lifeboat Antony Patrick Jones returns safely with crew to Bridlington RNLI station after taking part in rescue operations after two vessels collided in the North Sea on March 10, 2025 in Bridlington, England.
| Photo Credit:
Getty Images

The investigation will be led by the U.S. and Portugal, the countries where the vessels are flagged.

The 183 metre (596 foot) Stena Immaculate was operating as part of the US government’s Tanker Security Program, a group of commercial vessels that can be contracted to carry fuel for the military when needed.

Its operator, U.S.-based maritime management firm Crowley, said it was carrying 220,000 barrels of Jet-A1 fuel in 16 tanks, at least one of which was ruptured.

The company said it was unclear how much fuel had leaked into the sea.

The Solong’s cargo included sodium cyanide, which can produce harmful gas when combined with water, according to industry publication Lloyd’s List Intelligence. It was unclear if there had been a leak.

Greenpeace U.K. said it was too early to assess the extent of any environmental damage from the collision, which took place near busy fishing grounds and major seabird colonies.

Risk to sea life

Environmentalists said oil and chemicals posed a risk to sea life including whales and dolphins and to birds, including puffins, gannets and guillemots that live on coastal cliffs.

Tom Webb, senior lecturer in marine ecology and conservation at the University of Sheffield, said wildlife along that stretch of coast “is of immense biological, cultural and economic importance”.

“In addition to the wealth of marine life that is present all year round, this time of the year is crucial for many migratory species,” he said.

Alex Lukyanov, who models oil spills at the University of Reading, said the environmental impact would depend on multiple factors, including “the size of the spill, weather conditions, sea currents, water waves, wind patterns and the type of oil involved”.

“This particular incident is troubling because it appears to involve persistent oil, which breaks up slowly in water,” he said. “The environmental toll could be severe.”