Business

Dozens brought ashore after oil tanker and cargo ship collide in North Sea

Published

3 months ago

March 10, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

FILE: Oil tanker near the port of Kilpilahti in Porvoo on the Gulf of Finland, 7 January 2025, illustration © AP Photo

An oil tanker and a cargo ship collided in the North Sea off the UK coast on Monday, triggering a major rescue mission.

UK authorities launched lifeboats and firefighting vessels to the scene some 10 nautical miles out from the city of Hull after an alarm was sounded at around 11 am CET, authorities said.

“A coastguard rescue helicopter from Humberside was called, alongside lifeboats … an HM Coastguard fixed-wing aircraft, and nearby vessels with firefighting capability,” a coastguard spokesperson said on Monday.

At least 32 casualties have been brought ashore, according to Martyn Boyers, chief executive of the Port of Grimsby East. Their condition is not immediately clear.

Initial reports showed fire and thick black smoke pouring from both ships. Boyers said that there had been a “massive fireball” when the vessels collided.

The incident involved a US-registered oil tanker, Stena Immaculate, and a Portuguese container ship called the Solong, registered in Madeira, according to ship tracking website Vessel Tracker.

The tanker was listed as sailing from the Greek port of Agioi Theodoroi, while the cargo vessel was on course from Grangemouth in Scotland to Rotterdam in the Netherlands.

The Stena Immaculate is the larger of two ships, listed as being 183 metres long and 32 metres wide. The Solong is 140.6 metres long and 21.8 metres wide, according to ship tracking site Marine Traffic.

The site data shows Solong was drifting at 0.3 knots according to its last tracked position.

The UK Coastguard says it was assessing a “likely” counter-pollution response, although it isn’t known what the oil tanker was carrying at the time of the incident.

UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said she was “concerned” to hear of the collision between the two vessels. She thanked “all emergency service workers involved in their continued efforts in responding to the incident.”

The Met Office said visibility was poor in its morning forecast for Yorkshire and Humber.

“Areas of fog and low cloud lifting as winds increase through the morning, with some warm, if rather hazy sunny spells expected in places for a time,” the weather agency said.

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Business

CAC reviews service fees

Published

6 hours ago

June 18, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

The Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, has announced a review of its service fees, scheduled to take effect from August 1, 2025.

Ekwutosblog learnt that the review followed a thorough evaluation of current economic conditions, rising operational costs, and consultations with key stakeholders across relevant sectors by the Commission.

The adjustments affect services provided to companies, business names, limited partnerships, and incorporated trustees, including post-incorporation filings and other regulatory services.

A comprehensive list of the new fees is available on the CAC website.

The adjustment is reportedly aimed at improving service delivery through enhanced digital operations.

Business

Lagos loses N4trn yearly to traffic congestion, moves to regulate tanker operations

Published

5 days ago

June 13, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

The Lagos State Government has disclosed that the state suffers economic losses amounting to approximately N4 trillion each year due to persistent traffic congestion

This was revealed by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Mr Sola Giwa, during a recent interview on TVC News.

He identified unregulated parking and the chaotic activities of tankers and articulated vehicles along key logistics corridors as major contributors to the problem.

In response, the government has announced the enforcement of an Electronic Call-Up (E-Call-Up) system, scheduled to take effect from Monday, June 16, 2025.

The initiative targets tankers and articulated vehicles operating along the Lekki-Epe corridor

Giwa explained that all truck operators entering Lagos to load or offload goods will now be required to register and book their movements through the E-Call-Up platform.

The system is designed to coordinate truck activities, eliminate indiscriminate roadside parking, and reduce traffic disruptions.

“Under the new system, tanker operators will be required to upload their Authority to Load, ATL, and pre-book assigned parking slots before arriving in Lagos.

The platform will also collect relevant cargo and travel data, supporting better logistical planning and enforcement.

Seven dedicated truck parks have been approved along the Lekki-Epe axis. These facilities will be equipped with restrooms, kitchens, electricity, and other basic amenities to support driver welfare and operational efficiency.

Giwa stated that the policy is the outcome of more than two years of stakeholder engagement and is a key part of the state’s broader efforts to reform its transportation system and build a more efficient and resilient urban environment.

Business

Arnold Ekpe: Nine things you need to know about new Chairman of Dangote Sugar

Published

6 days ago

June 12, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc recently appointed Mr Arnold Ekpe as the new Chairman of its Board, effective 16th June 2025.

Ekpe’s appointment comes after the retirement of Alhaji Aliko Dangote as Chairman of the company on Wednesday.

Dangote’s retirement brought an end to a 20-year leadership of the company.

His retirement will take effect starting from June 16, this year, according to a statement issued yesterday by Company Secretary Temitope Hassan.

However, Ekwutosblog brings you seven things you need to know about Dangote’s replacement, Arnold Ekpe:

1. Ekpe is a seasoned finance professional with more than thirty years of experience in the corporate sectors and banking.

2. He was born in Aug. 1953 in Nigeria, and went to King’s College, Lagos, where he graduated in 1972 and later traveled to abroad for his tertiary education.

3. Ekpe attended the University of Manchester and earned a First Class Honours degree in Engineering as a Shell Scholar (1973–1976).

4. He later obtained an MBA from Manchester Business School (1977–1979).

5. Ekpe started his career in 1977 with Schlumberger SA as a Wireline Logging Engineer.

6. He joined Alcan Aluminium Nigeria as Executive Assistant to the CEO in 1979.

7. Ekpe then entered the banking industry in the early 1980s, starting at International Merchant Bank (an affiliate of First Chicago) as Head of Strategy.

8. He later became Group CEO of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, a role he held until his retirement in 2012.

9. He has served as an Independent Non‑Executive Director at Dangote Sugar Refinery since 2024.