A collision earlier this month between a cargo ship and an oil tanker in the UK North Sea released less than 10pc of the latter's cargo, its management company said.
The Stena Immaculate was at anchor carrying 220,000 bl of jet fuel for the US military when it was hit by the Solong on 10 March. Both ships caught fire, and one mariner remains unaccounted for and is presumed dead.
US-based management company Crowley said 17,500 bl of jet fuel were lost. It said the actions of the crew prevented any further damage.
There have been no oil slick sightings, suggesting all that entered the water was burned off, although the UK coastguard said plastic nurdles spotted south of the accident probably entered the water at the time of the collision. A nurdle clean-up operation is under way.
The fires took most of the week to bring under control. The UK marine accident investigation body has opened an investigation, and UK police have charged the Solong's captain with gross negligence manslaughter.
