Crew Reviews, Ratings & Info for Dean

A Norwegian captain was released by the North Jutland Police on the evening of September 29 following his arrest for navigating the 'Ranafjord' while intoxicated. The incident occurred when the captain reportedly consumed a substantial amount of alcohol and subsequently fell asleep during his duty. As a result of his impaired judgment, the ship was perilously close to running aground, just ten minutes away at high speed. The 'Ranafjord', which was carrying between 40 to 50 cubic meters of bunker fuel, posed a significant risk to the environment, as a grounding could have led to severe pollution. Fortunately, the Navy patrol boat 'Nymfen' managed to communicate with the crew and avert a disaster. Now that he has been released, the captain faces the decision of whether to conduct his trial for drunken navigation in Denmark or Norway, with expectations leaning toward prosecution in Denmark. The following day, September 30, the 'Ranafjord' was permitted to resume its journey with a more sober captain at the helm, ensuring safer navigation for maritime operations.

On September 29, 2011, a precarious situation unfolded involving the 'Ranafjord', a freighter operated by Finn Olsen Rederi based in Bodø, Norway. The incident was sparked by the actions of a 54-year-old Norwegian captain whose severe intoxication led him to abandon his post on the bridge to take a nap. The freighter, en route from Riga, had maintained a dangerously consistent course for approximately six hours, drawing concern from the Danish Navy Operational Command. In an urgent bid to restore control, the Navy began attempts to communicate with the ship’s crew. When these efforts proved fruitless, they deployed an F16 fighter jet to fly low over the vessel, successfully attracting the attention of the crew just 40 minutes before it was set to run aground near Hals. Thanks to the timely intervention, the crew was able to stop the ship and drop anchor to prevent disaster. At 1:45 p.m., authorities in Northern Jutland received an alert from the Søværnets Operative Command (SOK) regarding the situation in the Kattegat. When police arrived aboard a patrol boat, they encountered the captain in an inebriated state, who initially sought to deflect responsibility to his equally intoxicated first mate. However, the ship's logbook revealed that this officer had stepped away from his post, leaving the captain in command. After a breathalyzer test indicated a blood alcohol concentration of 2.15 per thousand, the captain was arrested and taken ashore. Subsequently, a Danish pilot was engaged to navigate the vessel to Hals Barre, where it anchored while the first mate slept off the effects of alcohol. Only after the first mate regained sobriety was the ship permitted to resume its journey towards Aalborg. Following the arrival in Aalborg on September 30, Danish police charged the captain with operating the freighter while heavily intoxicated, requiring him to provide a blood sample for further analysis. The Finn Olsen Rederi expressed shock regarding the incident, emphasizing their strict 0-alcohol policy on board. The captain, who had recently joined the company, now faces serious consequences for his actions.