The US Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) arrested the captain of the MSC Jubilee IX, an 8,814 TEU container ship, suspected of operating under the influence. This incident occurred on August 20 at Terminal 5 in Seattle, where the vessel was boarding.
Concerns arose when a Puget Sound pilot reported that the captain exhibited signs of impairment during transit from an anchorage near Everett to the terminal. The pilot and first mate boarded the ship without issues before the Coast Guard and CGIS conducted a boarding inspection.
During this inspection, a sobriety test revealed that the captain’s blood alcohol level was over six times the legal limit for commercial operations. As a result, he was arrested and taken to King County jail, facing charges for boating under the influence.
The MSC Jubilee IX, flagged in Liberia, was detained until an alternate captain could be verified. The vessel has since been cleared to resume operations. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
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