The U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service arrested the captain of a large container ship at Seattle’s Terminal 5 after he was found operating at more than six times the legal alcohol limit for commercial mariners, officials said.
According to the Coast Guard, the incident happened on Aug. 20, when a Puget Sound Pilot aboard the motor vessel MSC Jubilee IX noticed the captain showing signs of intoxication.
The pilot, along with the ship’s first mate, took over operations during the trip from an anchorage near Everett to the Port of Seattle.
The vessel made the journey without incident.
Once the ship docked at Terminal 5, a Coast Guard boarding team and Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) agents conducted a port state control examination.
The captain was given a field sobriety test and a breathalyzer, which indicated impairment more than six times the legal limit for commercial mariners.
CGIS agents arrested the captain and transported him to the King County Jail.
Prosecutors have been asked to pursue a boating under the influence charge.
The Coast Guard held the vessel until a replacement captain was confirmed.
The ship has since been cleared to continue operations.
Paul Shultz, special agent in charge of the CGIS Northwest Field Office, credited the pilot’s quick response for preventing possible harm.
“The Pilot’s immediate intervention mitigated significant risks and ensured the safe passage of the vessel,” he said in a statement.
The MSC Jubilee IX is a 333-meter container ship sailing under the Liberian flag.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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