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Solong is being towed to Aberdeen

The 'Solong' is being towed to Aberdeen. The tugs 'Multratug 35' 'Multratug 36', 'Multrasalvor 4' and 'Forth Warrior' have established a towing connection with the container ship. An antipollution ship was escorting the convoy which is expected to arrive in Aberdeen on March 28. In recent days, Multraship ships have been near the 'Solong'. The salvage of the 'Solong' is in the hands of the American T&T, but the ships of Multraship are involved. The 'Stena Immaculate' is still at anchor for the time being with the tug 'Brage Viking' (IMO: 9475791) nearby.

Cleanup efforts may go on for weeks

The East Lindsey District Council has started cleanup operations on March 20. The council's waste team was combing the beaches at Skegness, removing the debris from the 'Solong' from the shoreline. The local population has expressed concern about the implications these nurdles hold for both wildlife and public health. Further north, the King's Lynn and West Norfolk Council initiated their own cleanup efforts on March 19, focusing on the cleanup of beaches from Holme-next-the-Sea to Old Hunstanton. Their response involved using all-terrain vehicles to access stretches where larger pieces of debris remain. While officials contend that nurdles are not directly toxic to humans, there is considerable worry about their potential impact on wildlife. Many locals, including conservationists, are concerned that birds and marine creatures might ingest the pellets, mistaking them for food. As cleanup teams made their efforts to remove the nurdles, the public has been reminded to refrain from touching them. Fidra, an anti-pollution charity involved in monitoring the situation, cautioned, "Nurdles can leach, transport and adsorb harmful chemicals and pathogens in the environment creating a toxic cocktail." Many beachgoers have already reported seeing dead seabirds along the coastline, igniting speculation on the impact of the nurdles on local marine life. As cleanup efforts are expected to continue for several weeks, local councils are striving to mitigate the situation, though there is ongoing concern about further debris washing up due to harsh weather conditions affecting the coast. Residents are urged to remain cautious and report any sightings of nurdles or related debris. On March 20 an approximately 1,500-meter-long and 200-meter-wide oil film was discovered by a satellite of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) 100 kilometers west of Sylt island within the German Economic Zone Fuel analyses will now determine whether the film is the result of the aollision between the 'Solong' and the 'Stena Immaculate'. After the satellite reported the pollution, an oil reconnaissance aircraft from the Central Command for Maritime Emergencies (CCEM) took off from the Nordholz naval air base and confirmed the location. The "Bad Düben," which was on maritime patrol in the North Sea at the time, then headed for the site of the pollution. The crew took two water samples and a so-called background pollution sample for comparison. These samples are now being analyzed on land.

Crews of Solong and Stena Immaculate repatriated

The crew members of the 'Solong' and the 'Stena Immaculat'e have been repatriated as the investigation into the incident continues. The HM Coastguard gave its last daily update on the morning of March 20, while a government minister traveled to the area to thank the brave first responders and civilian crews that saved the seafarers as the vessels were engulfed in flames. TheTransport Minister Mike Kane visited Grimsby Docks meeting with personnel from HM Coastguard as well as the teams from offshore wind operator RWE and Windcat which provides the crew transfer services from the port. He praised the actions of the commercial crews and thanked everyone for their efforts which saved the crews. Kane highlighted that the 'Windcat 33', contracted by RWE to assist with the transport of its technicians to RWE's Humber Gateway offshore wind farm, was first on the scene. The crew transfer vessel had completed taking technicians out to the wind farm and was 12 minutes away when the Mayday calls were issued. The crew of the 'Solong' was in a lifeboat when the vessel arrived, took them aboard, and brought them ashore. A second vessel repeated the same process rescuing the crew of the 'Stena Immaculate', which had also abandoned the tanker aboard its lifeboat. The 36 seafarers were triaged at Grimsby Dock. They were treated on scene and one person who had been injured declined further medical assistance. The UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch was conducting interviews and gathering information as part of its investigation into the incident. Report with photos: https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/crews-from-solong-and-stena-immaculate-return-home-as-salvage-continues