(SEATTLE) — The Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) arrested the captain of the containership MSC Jubilee IX on Wednesday for suspicion of operating the vessel while intoxicated following a boarding at Terminal 5 in Seattle.
Watch standers at Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound were notified by a Puget Sound pilot aboard MSC Jubilee IX, who reported the vessel’s captain was exhibiting signs of intoxication. The pilot and first mate operated the vessel during the transit from an anchorage near Everett, Wash., to Terminal 5 at the Port of Seattle without incident.
Upon mooring at Terminal 5, a Coast Guard boarding team and CGIS agents initiated a boarding and port state control examination. Crews administered a field sobriety and breathalyzer test to the captain, which found that he was impaired more than six times the legal limit for commercial mariners.
The captain was arrested and transported by CGIS to the King County Jail, where charges were referred to the King County prosecutor for boating under the influence.
The vessel was detained by the Coast Guard until a relief captain was identified and confirmed. The vessel has since been cleared to resume operations.
“The Coast Guard is proud to ensure the safety and security of the maritime transportation system,” said Paul Shultz, special agent in charge, CGIS Northwest Field Office. “The pilot’s immediate intervention mitigated significant risks and ensured the safe passage of the vessel.”
MSC Jubilee IX is a 1,092-foot containership operating under the Liberian flag.
The incident remains under investigation.
– U.S. Coast Guard
