Collision Between Crude Oil Tanker and Containership in the Strait of Gibraltar
A crude oil tanker and one of the largest containerships in the world collided early on Tuesday, December 3, in the Strait of Gibraltar. The incident involved the crude oil tanker Gloria Maris, which had 25 crew members, and the containership HMM ST Petersburg, with 24 crew members on board.
According to Spain’s maritime rescue service, Salvamento Maritimo, both ships were inspected after the collision, revealing damage to their sides, but there was no risk of sinking or oil spillage. Spanish maritime rescue services responded quickly, sending the vessels Luz de Mar and Salvamar Denébola to the location of the accident.

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The collision took place about 8,9 miles southeast of Algeciras. The Gloria Maris raised an alert to the Rescue Coordination Centre (CCS) in Tarifa at 5:20 am. The tanker was in ballast after recently unloading 147,564 tonnes of crude oil at the port of Cartagena.
The HMM St. Petersburg operates on the FE4 service route between North China and Northern Europe. Delivered in 2020, it is the last of a series of 12 sister ships for South Korea’s HMM, measuring nearly 400 meters in length and capable of carrying 24 000 TEUs, making it one of the largest containerships globally. The Gloria Maris, registered under the Liberian flag, is a suezmax crude oil tanker with a deadweight tonnage of 156 620 dwt.
The Maritime Authority of Algeciras has ordered both vessels to be detained for comprehensive safety inspections to investigate the cause of the collision and assess their seaworthiness. As of Wednesday, December 4, both ships were reported to be safely anchored in the Bay of Algeciras/Gibraltar.