Salvage of the boxship that collided with an anchored Stena tanker this month has progressed to the stage at which the burned-out vessel can be towed to a Scottish port.
The 804-teu feedermax Solong (built 2005), which is owned by Ernst Russ of Germany, collided with the 49,700-dwt tanker Stena Immaculate (built 2017) on 10 March.
The incident occurred during foggy conditions off north-east England, causing fires on both ships.
UK chief coastguard Paddy O’Callaghan on Tuesday said the feeder ship will be towed to the Port of Aberdeen for safe berthing.
“Solong will be under tow by one tug and accompanied by another tug, plus a vessel with counter-pollution measures should they be required,” he said.
“Tug and tow are scheduled to arrive at Aberdeen later this week.”
It had previously been feared that the Solong would sink.
O’Callaghan said the Stena Immaculate is in “stable condition with salvage ongoing”.
Plastic nurdles are believed to have spilled from damaged containers on board the Solong, which have begun to wash up on English beaches.
“HM Coastguard continues to support local authorities, which are leading the onshore response to pollution, including plastic nurdles, in Norfolk and Lincolnshire,” O’Callaghan confirmed on Tuesday.
Nurdles are small pellets of plastic resin up to 5mm in size that are used in plastics production. They are not toxic but can present a risk to wildlife if ingested.
Around 2,200 tonnes of A1 jet fuel was also spilled from one of the Stena Immaculate’s cargo tanks after the collision.
The Russian master of the Solong, Vladimir Motin, 59, has been remanded in custody and charged with gross negligence manslaughter.
He will appear in court again on 14 April.
A provisional date for a trial in London has been set for 12 January next year.
Thirty-six crew members were rescued from both ships after the accident.
Filipino seafarer Mark Angelo Pernia, 38, is missing, presumed dead.(Copyright)
