Twenty-three Crowley mariners received the Maritime Administration’s Gallant Ship Award during a National Maritime Day event in Washington, D.C., in recognition of their service aboard the U.S.-flagged tanker Stena Immaculate.
The award recognized the crew’s actions during a March 10, 2025, allision in the North Sea, when the Stena Immaculate was anchored off the coast of Hull, United Kingdom. At the time of the allision, the Stena Immaculate was supporting U.S. government operations under charter to Military Sealift Command as part of Marad’s Tanker Security Program.
At the time of the allision, the Stena Immaculate was managed by Crowley through a joint venture with Stena Bulk AB. The tanker was transporting jet fuel under charter to the U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command.
The allision occurred at about 9:47 a.m. March 10, 2025, when the Portuguese-flagged containership Solong, operating in patchy fog, hit the anchored Stena Immaculate at a forward speed of about 16 knots.
The impact breached the Stena Immaculate’s no. 7 port cargo tank, releasing jet fuel into the sea and igniting the fuel in a dramatic fireball.
Despite dangerous conditions, the crew responded with discipline and coordination, executing a safe evacuation with serious injury and helping prevent more serious damage to the vessel, its cargo, and the environment.
“This honor for the crew of the Stena Immaculate underscores the essential role that U.S. mariners play in safely sustaining supply chains and supporting national defense at home and abroad,” said James C. Fowler, executive vice president and division president of shipping and logistics at Crowley. “The bravery and immediate response of these 23 professional mariners saved lives and prevented catastrophic damage to the environment. Their extreme courage and professionalism embodied the highest ideals of U.S. maritime.”
The Gallant Ship Award was established in 1944 to recognize ships and crews for outstanding bravery and seamanship during emergencies at sea. The last time is was awarded was in 2019.
The impact and explosion resulted in the death of Filipino seafarer Mark Angelo Pernia, a crew member aboard the Solong. Earlier this year, the captain aboard the Solong at the time of the allision, Vladimir Motin, was found guilty in an English courtroom of gross negligence manslaughter and sentenced to six years in prison.
