THE captain of a containership has managed to avoid prison sentence despite being in control of his vessel while nearly four times over the legal alcohol limit, reports BBC News.
Zbigniew Chowaniec, a 65-year-old Polish national, confessed to the offense when authorities boarded his ship at Felixstowe, Suffolk on January 15.
He received a suspended eight-week prison sentence, valid for 12 months.
Expressing remorse, Chowaniec stated that he was 'truly sorry' and acknowledged the end of his career as a captain.
He was at the helm of the 4,888-TEU Liberian flagged MSC Roshney V, a vessel that had traveled from the Port of Antwerp-Bruges in Belgium and was en route to Canakkale, Turkey.
Ipswich Crown Court was informed that port officers boarded the 300 metres long ship at around 07:15 GMT, detecting a strong smell of alcohol on Chowaniec.
Subsequently, he was arrested, and a breathalyser test at Martlesham Police Investigation Centre revealed a reading of 93 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath.
The prescribed alcohol limit for seafarers, as per the Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping Convention, is 25 micrograms per 100ml.
While acknowledging Chowaniec's previously unblemished record, Judge David Wilson declared him a 'man of previous good character' and assessed that he did not pose a risk or danger to the public.
However, the judge cautioned that any future offense could result in imprisonment.
SeaNews Turkey
Zbigniew Chowaniec, a 65-year-old Polish national, confessed to the offense when authorities boarded his ship at Felixstowe, Suffolk on January 15.
He received a suspended eight-week prison sentence, valid for 12 months.
Expressing remorse, Chowaniec stated that he was 'truly sorry' and acknowledged the end of his career as a captain.
He was at the helm of the 4,888-TEU Liberian flagged MSC Roshney V, a vessel that had traveled from the Port of Antwerp-Bruges in Belgium and was en route to Canakkale, Turkey.
Ipswich Crown Court was informed that port officers boarded the 300 metres long ship at around 07:15 GMT, detecting a strong smell of alcohol on Chowaniec.
Subsequently, he was arrested, and a breathalyser test at Martlesham Police Investigation Centre revealed a reading of 93 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath.
The prescribed alcohol limit for seafarers, as per the Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping Convention, is 25 micrograms per 100ml.
While acknowledging Chowaniec's previously unblemished record, Judge David Wilson declared him a 'man of previous good character' and assessed that he did not pose a risk or danger to the public.
However, the judge cautioned that any future offense could result in imprisonment.
SeaNews Turkey
