WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Cargo-ship captain arrested at Terminal 5, accused of boating under the influence (update: charged)

| Crime | Port of Seattle | West Seattle news

Unusual news release came in this afternoon from the U.S. Coast Guard in Seattle – reporting the arrest of a cargo-ship captain this week at West Seattle’s Terminal 5:

The Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) arrested the captain of the motor vessel MSC Jubilee IX for suspicion of operating the vessel while intoxicated following a boarding at Terminal 5 in Seattle, Aug 20, 2025.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound were notified by a Puget Sound Pilot aboard the MSC Jubilee IX, who reported the vessel’s captain was exhibiting signs of intoxication. The pilot and first mate operated the vessel during the transit from an anchorage near Everett, Wash., to Terminal 5 at the Port of Seattle without incident.

Upon mooring at Terminal 5, a Coast Guard boarding team and CGIS agents initiated a boarding and port state control examination. Crews administered a field sobriety and breathalyzer test to the captain, which found that he was impaired more than six times the legal limit for commercial mariners.

The captain was arrested and transported by CGIS to the King County Jail, where charges were referred to the King County Prosecutor for boating under the influence.

The vessel was detained by the Coast Guard until a relief captain was identified and confirmed. The vessel has since been cleared to resume operations.

“The Coast Guard is proud to ensure the safety and security of the maritime transportation system,” said Paul Shultz, Special Agent in Charge, CGIS Northwest Field Office. “The Pilot’s immediate intervention mitigated significant risks and ensured the safe passage of the vessel”.

The MSC Jubilee IX is a 333 meter container ship operating under the Liberian flag.

The incident remains under investigation.

So far as we’ve been able to find via research, the legal blood-alcohol limit for commercial boating is .04. We’re following up to find out the captain’s status. According to VesselFinder, the ship left Seattle early Friday and is heading to Prince Rupert, B.C.

MONDAY UPDATE: From the King County PAO, “This morning, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged that boat captain, Oleh Danylin, with Operation of a Vessel While Under the Influence.” Separate story to come.

West Seattle Mad Sci Guy August 23, 2025 (5:13 pm)

Wow. That’s a lot of % alcohol

Bill @ Duwamish Head August 23, 2025 (5:35 pm)

Thank you Coasties, you are the absolute best!!! Signed, Son of a Coastie

Lincolnparkkid August 23, 2025 (5:52 pm)

Thank you to the pilot & first mate. My Dad worked for Crowley Maritime & I spent decades scuba diving. I can not imagine the responsibility of steering & docking a large vessel.

Rhonda August 23, 2025 (7:18 pm)

Lives were saved. Thank you, Coast Guard 💪

Jort August 23, 2025 (10:02 pm)

You don’t know that. Lives may have been saved.
- WS Guy August 24, 2025 (5:48 pm)
  
  When I read Rhonda’s post, I was at once incensed. How? How can she know that lives were saved?!
  
  But reading further I saw Jort’s post, standing up for what is clear and accurate.
  
  Overwhelmed with emotion I began to clap. Slowly at first, and then rising to my feet, thunderously.
  
  Thank you, Jort. Thank you for being there. Thank you for making this, the most vitally important comment in the thread. We are all in your debt.
- Rhonda August 24, 2025 (7:23 pm)
  
  Jort, the MSC Jubilee IX is 333 meters, weighs 108,000 tons, and travels at 25.4 mph. If it hit a cruise ship with thousands of passengers out on the oceans it would cut it in half. Do you defend drunk bus and semi-truck drivers, too?

David McKay August 23, 2025 (7:26 pm)

Likely a FEDERAL FELONY OFFENSE similar to an airline pilot being intoxicated upon takeoff!!

Fan of Kelp Forests August 23, 2025 (10:42 pm)

Reminds me of Exxon Valdez captain.

North Admiral Cyclist August 24, 2025 (6:52 am)

This is a very serious issue. We don’t need another Rolf Neslund, who took out the old “West Spokane Street Bridge” (essentially the pre-curser to the high level West Seattle bridge) in 1978 when he was piloting the freighter, Antonio Chavez. Of course, Neslund eventually paid the ultimate price when his wife “took him out” by the most sordid of means. Luckily in the late 70s, early 80s, we still had Senator Magnuson to help secure Seattle federal funds for building the current high level bridge. Later, the low level bridge was replaced by the current swing bridge.

Al King August 24, 2025 (9:35 am)

The captain of the Exxon Valdez was not impaired. Don’t remember hearing that Rolf Nesland was impaired either. You have facts to prove otherwise?

WSB August 24, 2025 (1:12 pm)

Neslund – who was the pilot of the freighter, not its captain (master) – was found negligent, according to various references.
Hazelwood’s fate was complex:
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/july-10/the-exxon-valdez-captains-conviction-is-overturned
My two cents August 24, 2025 (3:32 pm)

@ Al King Los Angeles Times (1989) reported “ The captain of the Exxon Valdez was legally drunk when he was tested some 10 hours after his tanker hit a reef last week, causing the worst oil spill in US …
- Al King August 25, 2025 (6:16 am)
  
  I was in Valdez 3 years ago and took a boat tour. The captain on the boat was a Valdez native. He was there and had responded to the incident. He definitely had a different version of the WHOLE story than made the news here.

flimflam August 24, 2025 (12:34 pm)

Wow. That’s a high BAL and this person needs to face severe consequences for this. Surely it wasn’t the first time either…

North Admiral Cyclist August 24, 2025 (5:47 pm)

Rolf Neslund, and his wife Ruth, both had reports of heavy drinking. Of course, mandatory drug and alcohol testing did not exist in 1978 ( it came to pass in a 1991 federal law). In those days, there was typically no hard proof of drinking at the time of formal inquiries. Hence only a negligence charge stuck. Luckily today, testing occurs quickly and routinely if an incident occurs. Back in the 1970s and 1980s, many reports at the time suggested Ruth Nesland did in Rolf because of his drinking. Ruth may not have been any better, as I recall she ran over a woman on a bicycle on Lopez Island while allegedly drunk and out on bail, or appeal, for Rolf’s murder. In any event, the main point is the recent drinking infraction is very serious, as the consequences of mishandling a large ship can be enormous in terms of potential injury and property damages.

WSzombie August 24, 2025 (6:14 pm)

Maybe I’m misunderstanding the situation here, but it seems like it isn’t cut and dry as everyone wants to assume.

If the boat was anchored in Everett while waiting for Puget Sound Pilots to bring the boat into dock, the boat captain was done with his job and not expected to pilot the boat anymore.

It’s like a train engineer getting to the rail yard, going to the dining car for dinner and a drink, and the rail yard workers taking over and moving the train for unloading.

I’m not defending the guy at all, but if he’s done working, is he required by law to be sober?

BJG August 24, 2025 (11:21 pm)

The captain is at the helm until the harbor pilot takes command of the ship. In this case it seems the captain was legally drunk. At any time he could have been called upon to manage the ship’s position and any other occurance on board. At anchor is just a temporary location. He would be well aware of his duty to be sober and I doubt this is his first offense.
Rhonda August 25, 2025 (12:02 am)

Ship’s Captains are never off duty until safely tied up at a port dock.

Sorry, comment time is over.