The Dutch-flagged ship Marietje Deborah was immobilised in the port of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria after its captain tested positive for alcohol. The Maritime Authority has opened a sanctioning procedure and requires a guarantee of €50,000.
The ship Marietje Deborah, flying the flag of the Netherlands, was about to set sail from the port of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria when the Dutch Maritime Administration alerted the Maritime Authority of a possible state of intoxication of a crew member. Following the alert, the maritime captain of Las Palmas, Ignacio Gallego, ordered the departure to be prevented and requested the Civil Guard to conduct an alcohol test on the entire crew.
Only Positive in the Test
According to the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, only the captain of the ship exceeded the maximum permitted limit, set at 0.25 milligrams per litre of exhaled air. The rest of the crew tested negative.
The Maritime Authority immediately initiated a sanctioning procedure and ordered the immobilisation of the ship. The shipowner must deposit a guarantee of €50,000 before the vessel can sail again.
MoU Inspection and New Tests
The vessel will remain detained while a MoU inspection is completed, the procedure applied to foreign ships to verify compliance with international safety and navigation regulations. Additionally, the Maritime Authority has ordered that the entire crew undergo a new alcohol test before authorising departure.
The operation has been coordinated between the Maritime Authority of Las Palmas, the Civil Guard, and the Maritime Administration of the Netherlands, which was the one that raised the alarm. For the residents of the port area, such controls are a guarantee of safety, as they prevent ships with intoxicated crew members from jeopardising navigation in Canary waters.
The captain of the Marietje Deborah now faces a procedure that could lead to financial penalties and, depending on the severity, even disqualification. Meanwhile, the ship remains docked in the port of Las Palmas, awaiting the completion of all inspections and the deposit of the guarantee.
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