Russian captain involved in North Sea cargo ship crash charged with manslaughter and gross negligence

British police have confirmed that the Russian captain of a cargo ship has been charged with manslaughter by gross negligence and with being drunk while performing a duty after this week's collision with a U.S. military tanker. The incident occurred in the North Sea and has sparked widespread concern. Authorities are thoroughly investigating the circumstances surrounding the collision.

The captain involved, Vladimir Mordin, 59, is the captain of the "Solon" cargo ship, which flies the Portuguese flag. The ship struck the "Stena Immaculate" tanker, which was carrying aviation fuel for the U.S. military, at near full speed on Monday. Mordin has been detained by police and is scheduled to appear in Hull Magistrates' Court in Yorkshire on March 15. His legal representation is currently being arranged.

The UK Crown Prosecution Service stated that Mark Angelo Penas, a 38-year-old crew member from the Philippines, died in the accident. The other 36 crew members on both ships survived and were brought ashore. The Coast Guard said that a salvage company boarded both vessels on Thursday and is conducting an initial damage assessment. Only sporadic hotspots were present at the scene, which did not cause "excessive concern." The authorities are taking all necessary precautions to prevent further incidents.

Police said the investigation is ongoing, but it will take time due to the ships still being at sea and the large number of witnesses involved. The Russian Embassy in London issued a statement on the Telegram platform saying it had a "detailed telephone conversation" with the captain and learned that he was feeling well. The embassy also stated that it is in close contact with the British authorities. This incident comes at a time of heightened tensions between London and Moscow. According to Russian media citing the embassy, five Russian citizens, including the captain, were on the container ship. Diplomatic efforts are underway to ensure a fair and transparent investigation.

Gholam Reza Emad of the University of Tasmania pointed out that despite modern shipping having advanced technology and safety measures, it remains challenging due to intense market competition. He emphasized the importance of redundant critical equipment, safety procedures, crew training and retraining, and inspections of ships by classification societies, maritime administrations, and port authorities. Dr. Emad also stated that in recent years, shipping companies have faced enormous pressure to remain competitive in the globally interconnected logistics market, forcing them to find ways to cut costs, with labor costs often being overlooked. This pressure can compromise safety standards.

Dr. Emad further explained that shipping companies typically adopt two main approaches to reduce labor costs: one is to reduce the number of crew members on board to the minimum allowed level, and the other is to hire low-cost seafarers from competitive international seafarer labor markets. He also pointed out that commercial pressures have increased the workload of seafarers, requiring them to perform multiple tasks and not having enough time to follow safety procedures. With the continuous development of technology in shipping and logistics systems, the speed of loading and unloading cargo in ports has accelerated, putting great pressure on crew members, preventing them from getting adequate rest before returning to sea. These factors can contribute to accidents and compromise maritime safety.