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Coast Guard Arrests Captain of MSC Jubilee IX in Seattle on Suspicion of Drunken Operation

Prosecutors are reviewing a boating-under-the-influence referral following tests showing a level over six times the maritime limit.

Shipping containers at the Port of Seattle in Washington on March 21, 2019.
The world's largest container ship, MSC IRINA, arrives from outer anchorage to dock at the Vizhinjam International Seaport in Thiruvananthapuram, in India's Kerala state, on June 9, 2025.
Port of Seattle. (Shutterstock)

Overview

  • A Puget Sound pilot reported signs of intoxication during an Aug. 20 transit from an anchorage near Everett to Terminal 5 in Seattle.
  • The pilot and the ship’s first mate completed the approach and docking without incident before authorities boarded.
  • Coast Guard and CGIS personnel conducted field sobriety and breath tests on the pier, then arrested the captain and transported him to King County Jail.
  • The vessel was held until a relief captain was appointed, then cleared to depart and left Seattle on Aug. 22 bound for Prince Rupert, British Columbia.
  • Investigators with the Coast Guard and CGIS continue to examine the case, and authorities have not released the captain’s name.