The US Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) has taken into custody the captain of the MSC Jubilee IX, a 333-metre container ship operating under the Liberian flag.
He was arrested under suspicion of operating the vessel while intoxicated.
The incident began when a Puget Sound Pilot aboard the vessel reported that the captain was showing signs of intoxication.
Taking immediate action, the pilot and the ship’s first mate operated the vessel during its transit from an anchorage near Everett to Terminal 5 at the Port of Seattle, successfully completing the journey without incident.
Upon mooring at Terminal 5, a Coast Guard boarding team and CGIS agents initiated a boarding and port state control examination. A breathalyser test found that he was more than six times over the legal limit for commercial mariners.
He 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 pilot’s immediate intervention mitigated significant risks and ensured the safe passage of the vessel, a CGIS spokesman said.
The incident remains under investigation.
