Captain of the Cypriot-registered bulk carrier has been jailed for eight weeks for being drunk in charge of a 2,500-tonne bulker, in UK waters.
Sergey Safronov, 52, of Tolcarne Road, Newquay was so drunk he had to hand over control of the Pur-Navolok vessel to his chief mate.
Truro Crown Court heard Safronov failed a police breath test and had 80mg of alcohol in his breath – the legal limit for shipping is 25mg.
The ship was sailing up the River Fowey in Cornwall when concerns were raised.
A harbour pilot who boarded the Pur-Navolok to help navigate it up the river to its berth at Fowey could not find the skipper at his post.
‘Celebrating’
When a shipping agent went aboard he found the skipper struggling to complete paperwork due to his intoxicated condition.
He smelt of alcohol and despite speaking good English, he did not understand what was going on.
He told officials he had been celebrating a family event.
Safronov admitted being the professional master of the Cypriot-registered bulk carrier while exceeding the prescribed alcohol limit.
He was also ordered to pay £150.
The prosecution said the ship had arrived in Fowey the previous day – 27 September – to collect a cargo of china clay.
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