Crew Reviews, Ratings & Info for Stena-Imperative

**Title: Stena Imperative Targeted in Drone Attack at ASRY Shipyard** On March 2, 2026, at 2:57 a.m., the oil tanker **Stena Imperative** was struck by two drones while docked at the **ASRY Shipyard** in **Manamah**, Bahrain. The crew on board was promptly evacuated, ensuring their safety as the operator, **Stena Bulk**, moved to secure both the vessel and its personnel. Fortunately, the fire ignited by the drone attack was successfully extinguished. Tragically, the incident resulted in the death of one shipyard worker on land, with two others sustaining injuries. Preliminary investigations suggest that Iranian-manufactured drones or missiles may have been used in the assault. This drone strike followed a recent incident less than a month earlier on **February 3**, when the **Stena Imperative** was approached by Iranian gunboats in the Strait of Hormuz. The vessel had been ordered to halt its engines and prepare for boarding. However, the crew managed to evade the situation by accelerating and continuing their voyage. The tanker had departed from **Fujairah** and arrived in Bahrain on **February 5**, spending some time in dock before this alarming event. The **Stena Imperative** had likely been targeted due to its involvement in the **Tanker Security Programme**, a strategic initiative that secures commercial vessels for utilization by the **U.S. Department of Defense** in support of national defense operations. This makes the vessel an integral part of the **U.S. Navy’s** logistical frameworks. In recognition of its critical role, the **Stena Imperative** was certified by the **U.S. Military Sealift Command** in 2025, enabling it to conduct ship-to-ship refueling while underway. The ongoing security situation highlights the increasing risks faced by vessels operating in strategically sensitive maritime areas.

The 'Stena Imperative', enroute from Ho Chi Minh to Manamah, Bahrain, was approached by Iranian gunboats during the transit of the Strait of Hormuz on Feb 3, 2026. Three pairs of gunboats with machine guns headed towards thee tanker approximately 30 km north of Oman and ordered tit to stop and prepare to be boarded. The vessel did not respond and continued its voyage with an ETA at the port of destination, Bahrain’s Sitrah port, with am ETA as of Feb 5. Within a short period, a U.S. Navy destroyer, which was operating in the region, moved to the tanker’s vicinity and provided an armed escort, supported by air assets. The incident appeared to have occurred when the tanker was just inside Omani waters on the southern side of the internationally-recognized Traffic Separation Scheme, off the northern tip of the Musandam peninsula, outside of Iran's territorial seas. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) investigated the incident.

The US Coast Guard medevaced a 21-year-old man in the morning of Oct 30, 2017, from the "Stena Imperative" 12 miles south of Freeport, Texas. At 8:07 a.m., the captain of the tanker contacted Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders to report that a crewmember was going in and out of consciousness after sustaining a head injury from a fall. A Coast Guard Air Station Houston MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew arrived on scene at 9:26 p.m., hoisted the man and transported him to awaiting emergency medical services personnel at Galveston Scholes Airport.

Stena Bulk has commissioned the 50,000 dwt Stena Imperative, the latest example of an innovative new class of versatile medium-range (MR) tanker constructed by CSSC Offshore & Marine Engineering (CSSC OME), the former Guangzhou Shipyard International. The delivery follows the recent award of another three-ship contract to the Chinese yard, extending the build series to 13 vessels of the IMOIIMAX design for Stena Bulk and various trading partners and associates. Source: Fairplay IHS

The chemical and product tanker Stena Imperative has now been delivered from the Chinese shipyard CSSC Offshore & Marine Engineering (CSSC OME, formerly Guangzhou Shipyard International/GSI) in Guangzhou. The IMOIIMAX tanker is equivalent in size to a 50,000 dwt MR tanker. The vessel is equipped with 18 tanks, each with a capacity of 3,000 m3, and can carry both vegetable oils and chemicals such as oil and petroleum products. Thanks to their innovative technical design, the IMOOIIMAX tankers have extra large cargo flexibility, high safety and low fuel consumption. The naming ceremony will be held in Hong Kong on 26 January 2016. Stena Imperative, which is wholly owned by Stena Bulk, is the fifth in a series of ten tankers ordered by Stena Bulk in 2012. The first four vessels were delivered in 2015 and the remaining five will be delivered by 2017. http://en.portnews.ru/news/213359/