The 48-year-old Ukrainian captain of the container ship MSC Jubilee IX (flagged Liberia) Oleg D. stated in court that he did not drink alcohol and explained the smell by the fact that he used mouthwash
The incident occurred on August 20 when the 8,814 TEU vessel entered the port of Seattle (USA). According to the case materials, when the pilot boarded, he smelled a strong smell of alcohol from Captain Oleg and reported this to the US Coast Guard. The pilot and the senior mate escorted the vessel to the port
Officers of the Coast Guard investigation service boarded. According to the court, the captain initially responded slowly to questions, denied drinking alcohol and stated that he used mouthwash 10 minutes before the inspection. He also stressed that his company’s policy prohibits drinking alcohol on board
The captain agreed to take a sobriety test, but investigators say he performed so poorly that the procedure was stopped for his own safety. A breathalyzer test conducted by the Coast Guard showed a blood alcohol level of 0.24 percent, and two subsequent tests by Washington State Police recorded a blood alcohol level of 0.25 percent.
By comparison, the legal limit for operating a boat in Washington state is 0.08 percent.
On August 26, a King County judge ruled that there was probable cause to file a felony charge. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Wednesday
‼️ Following the captain’s arrest, the ship was detained by the Coast Guard until a new commander was appointed. According to AIS, the MSC Jubilee IX left the Port of Seattle on August 22, bound for the Canadian port of Prince Rupert
Seamen’s Club 🇺🇦 | #news