Yeosu Coast Guard Conducts Special Crackdown on Drunk Navigation at Gwangyang Port

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Hyung-kwon] Yeosu Maritime Police Station announced on the 22nd that it will conduct a special 10-week crackdown on drunk navigation targeting all vessels, including cargo ships and tugboats within Gwangyang Port, until the end of March.

This special crackdown comes as the captain of a cargo ship caused a collision accident while departing under the influence of alcohol on the 16th, and the increase in drunk navigation of large cargo ships and other vessels has raised the possibility of safety accidents.

Yeosu Maritime Police Station plans to eradicate drunk navigation within Gwangyang Port through intensive all-out enforcement regardless of nationality, vessel type, or size, both at sea and on land, including the Maritime Traffic Control Center (VTS), the situation room, branch offices, and patrol vessels.

During the special crackdown, to prevent COVID-19 infection and community spread through foreign vessels, police officers will strictly comply with quarantine rules, and promotional and enforcement activities will be conducted simultaneously.

Under the Maritime Safety Act, the standard for drunk navigation enforcement is a blood alcohol concentration of 0.03% or higher. With strengthened penalties for drunk navigation, vessels over 5 tons caught navigating under the influence face imprisonment from a minimum of 2 years to a maximum of 5 years or fines ranging from 20 million to 30 million KRW, depending on blood alcohol concentration.

A Yeosu Maritime Police Station official said, “Since drunk navigation is highly likely to lead to major accidents, we will strictly enforce the law within the port to establish legal order and prevent maritime accidents.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.