Maritime collision in the North Sea : a new source of plastic pollution and a major environmental impact

A week after the collision between the container ship Solong and the oil tanker Stena-Immaculate in the North Sea, plastic granules have been discovered in the water and on the east coast of England, raising serious concerns among environmentalists.

WORRYING PLASTIC POLLUTION

The UK Coastguard has announced the launch of an operation to recover these plastic pellets, which vary in size from 1 to 5 millimetres. Although these pellets are not considered toxic, they do pose a danger to marine and avian fauna due to the risk of ingestion. Initially spotted in the water, they have since been found along around thirty kilometres of coastline, affecting several nature reserves.

Steve Rowland, local manager of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, expressed his ‘deep concern’, underlining the ecological importance of this region, which is a crucial migratory route for birds and a nesting site for rare species. He also warned that rising tides could further disperse the debris, making recovery more difficult.

AN ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER

The accident, which occurred on 10 March off the coast of Yorkshire, also resulted in a leak of 17,515 barrels of Jet-A1 fuel from the Stena-Immaculate, chartered by the American army. This ship was carrying a total of 220,000 barrels of aviation fuel, and although the authorities ensure that the rest of the cargo is secure, the environmental impact of this leak remains to be assessed.

The fire that broke out on both ships following the collision was brought under control after several days, although residual fires remain on the Solong. The operator of the tanker, Crowley, assured that the damage was limited to one fuel tank and one water tank, but fears remain about the ecological consequences.

THE ONGOING INVESTIGATION

The exact circumstances of the collision remain to be clarified. The Solong reportedly changed course around 1:30 AM before crashing into the Stena-Immaculate eight hours later. The captain of the container ship, a Russian national, was charged with manslaughter by gross negligence, while a member of the crew of the Solong, the Philippine Mark Angelo Pernia, is presumed dead.

If the British authorities have ruled out the hypothesis of a criminal act, investigators are still trying to understand the reasons for this accident. Meanwhile, clean-up operations continue in a race against time to limit environmental damage.

Thomas dos Remedios, pour SPECTIO

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