# "UK - alcohol limits for mariners".



## callpor (Jan 31, 2007)

I noticed the following in Denis Bryant's Maritime Blog today:-

"The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) issued an amended Marine Guidance Note regarding alcohol limits for mariners on UK vessels worldwide and for vessels operating in UK waters. The new limit for blood is 0.05% or 50 milligram in 100 milliliters. The new limit for breath is 0.25 milligrams per liter of 25 micrograms in 100 milliliters. MGN 590 (M+F)".

This aligns UK legislation with the Manila amendments to STCW. 

For many of the mariners and ex-mariners from the tanker sector this must be somewhat confusing as they have had to comply with Drug and Alcohol controls established since 1990, where the Blood Alcohol Content limit is 40mg/100ml and equivalent in breath!

Cheers, Chris (Pint)


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## Stephen J. Card (Nov 5, 2006)

The only way to go to sea is to go as a passenger!


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## Ron Stringer (Mar 15, 2005)

Stephen J. Card said:


> The only way to go to sea is to go as a passenger!


Can't argue with that now that ships no longer have Radio Officers aboard.


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## Orbitaman (Oct 5, 2007)

So in simple terms, tanker operators are going to have to change the limits to match those of the new MGN.
although the ships I work with are not tankers, we have followed the tanker industry limits until now. With this change it looks like our crew can now increase their legal alcohol intake by about a mouthful


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## YM-Mundrabilla (Mar 29, 2008)

Surprised that it is not 0.00%


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## ART6 (Sep 14, 2010)

I wonder how all this will be enforced? Will there be some sort of traffic cops patrolling the high seas armed with breathalyzers? Probably best if they don't patrol off Somalia, or they might be mistaken for pirates and sunk by a Russian frigate! (Pint)


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## BobClay (Dec 14, 2007)

Not sure I want to be stopped by a Russian maritime traffic cop … 

(especially if I've had a few …. )

https://youtu.be/uTYkcnJdDio


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## kewl dude (Jun 1, 2008)

Americans and Russians against Somali pirates 2018 #2 
9,993,277 views, 28k, eight minutes seven seconds.

Is it safe for me to say that the black .50 caliber chopper door gunner is American? If so I see he was firing to discourage rather than eliminate? The old US Navy drop-a-shell in the water ahead of her course trick to get her to stop. One of those .50 caliber bullets could ruin your whole day. In 'Nam more than once I saw .50 cal choppers hosing areas with the intent to kill. Not up real close but close by sometimes right above our ship. Those .50 cal are loud with a ripping sound. 

I suspect regardless of which Navy is responding to a pirate call that word MAY get back to Pirate Headquarters and perhaps discourage some from following that line of work? My memory tells me that the Soviet Navy and today's Russian Navy are more into eliminating rather than discouraging? 

Greg Hayden


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## BobClay (Dec 14, 2007)

I suppose it's that old Russian philosophy that if you discourage someone, they may just do it again further down the line. If you eliminate them, that is not going to happen.

It's a one way street philosophy that has upsides and downsides. As an ex-seafarer I don't have any sympathy with pirates, and if they get _'chopped'_ then so be it. 

However I would hesitate to do a bit of innocent fishing in that area.


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## lakercapt (Jul 19, 2005)

On the "Lakes" if you ever were involved in any incident or accident the Coast Guard carried out a blood test and should you be found to be under the influence it was a major problem.
I guess that the days of having a tot are past and being on board a vessel for any length of time (your home per se) is not as it was. I understand why there is a shortage of persons wanting to go to sea. I most certainly would never consider doing it under all these restictions and rules. Seeing the world from a container ship where one terminal is same whither it is in Kobe or Hong Kong or Felixstow its all work and time ashore near zero.


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## kewl dude (Jun 1, 2008)

RE: On the "Lakes" if you ever were involved in any incident or accident the Coast Guard carried out a blood test and should you be found to be under the influence it was a major problem.

Not in the US at least during my fathers 1937 through 1969 and my own 1960 - 1966 Great Lakes careers. More than one captain openly carried a flask of liquor in his left shirt pocket and a Maalox flask in his right shirt pocket both with straws. Many ships officers and crew were a case of beer or two alcohol quarts a day men. 

One Captain named Haig on a ship where my Dad was known as Haig and Haig since he always had a bottle of it handy. The Chief Engineer on my first licensed job surprised me. When he showed up in the middle of the night. To sit in the air-conditioned engine room office while running the Detroit/St Clare rivers and lake. He carried a silver tray of a crystal pitcher filled with pre-mixed Martini's and a crystal glass. 

When we arrived in port the first assistant put out a LONG list of work to be accomplished while in port - all of the work was assigned to me since all the rest of the officers took advantage of the port time to get drunk. I was criticized for not completing all of the port work so I quit in Buffalo September 10, 1966. When I told the C/E he removed my license from the frame, locked it in his office and went ashore. 

I went up to the head of the dock to the public phone booth and telephoned the Buffalo OCMI - USCG Officer in Charge Marine Inspection, who when he heard my name asked if I was related to my Great Lakes Marine Engineer Dad, whom the OCMI knew well. 

The OCMI came down to the dock accompanied by a pair of burly uniformed USCG enlisted policemen complete to side arms and handcuffs. The C/E did not return until after the bars closed. The OCMI required the very inebriated C/E to hand over my license then he was handcuffed behind his back, arrested and taken ashore. The OCMI required the master to provide me with my final paycheck and USCG discharge papers. My wife had driven over from Cleveland so we drove home.

The next day the company telephoned me and said 
"So what the hell did you do Greg?"
I quit I replied I am sick of baby sitting a bunch of drunk engineering officers. 
The office doubted my words. 
I hung up.

October 1 I joined the SS Missouri a 16,000 ton 6,000 HP C4 ex troop ship turned geared bulk carrier loading grain in Baltimore. It was my first offshore voyage and was to Calicut, India returning to New Orleans where I got off for Christmas. January 1967 I made my first of ten 'Nam voyages on the SS Duke Victory.

Captain Albert of HAL online blog fame:

https://www.hollandamerica.com/blog/excluderecent/04-june-2018-hamburg-day-2/

Used to mention that company wide HAL had provided forever officers appropriate wines as meal accompaniments. Officers ate in the public restaurants with the guests and ordered off the menus. No longer two years ago the whole crew went dry whenever on board. Captain Albert said things change and listed other positive milestones in HAL history. 

Read some of the posts on G-Captain forums about how MOST of the civilian maritime industry today afloat and ashore has zero tolerance for onboard or office alcohol or drug possession or use. You do not need to join G-Captain to read the forums.

Greg Hayden


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## lakercapt (Jul 19, 2005)

Hi Greg
Since 1966 many thing have changed since you were on the "Lakes". 
All ships are dry (US and Canadian Flag)
If you go ashore and drink you better have arranged for someone stand your watch when you come back and are under the influence! Too many times and you will be on the dock watching your boat sail away.
Zero tolerance is the name of the game.
There was even a couple of occassions that a team with a dog boarded without any notice and searched the boat from one end to another for illegal drugs.
The dog was a sniffer and went round the boat to see if it could pick up any scents!


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