Captain of the cargo vessel Helt is charged for intoxication by Swedish Prosecutors after the vessel was nearly grounded near Copenhagen.
On March 10, the 2, two patrol boats, the KBV 034 and KBV 314, intercepted the Helt a 100 dwt cargo ship that was bound to go northward in the Oresund strait but altered course towards shore near Rydebäck, south of Helsingborg.
The coast guard sprung into action as the marine traffic service failed to contact the vessel. Fortunately the vessel turned to avoid a grounding. A potential serious damage and pollution got averted, the Swedish Coast Guard boats caught up with the vessel that was travelling north of Helsingborg and sent a boarding team aboard. The officers reportedly ordered the crew to anchor up while they investigated.
“When we entered the cabin we felt a distinct stench of alcohol and the captain was sitting on the sofa,” an officer wrote in the incident report. “He was visibly affected, red eyes, flushed face, his breath smelt noticeably of alcohol.”
The officers administered a breathalyzer test, and the captain tested for 1.83 parts-per-thousand BAC, or about 0.19 percent by volume – more than double the legal limit for driving in the United States. The captain admitted that he had consumed nearly a pint of vodka over the course of the day, a statement confirmed by an almost-empty bottle found nearby. He was taken off the vessel and held pending trial.
In court, the captain admitted the charges and expressed regret. Prosecutors estimated that he would be sentenced to a term of several months in jail. As for the Helt, her operator said that a relief captain was quickly brought in, and the vessel continued on her commercial voyage with little delay.
The Helt’s Equasis records show a number of inspection deficiencies last year, including unsatisfactory watchkeeping records and an inoperable Bridge Navigation Watch Alarm System (BNWAS), which sounds a series of alarms if it suspects that the watchstander is absent or asleep. The vessel was not detained.
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Source: The Maritime Executive
