Discover the Wilson-Baerl: Ratings & Maritime News

On November 18, 2014, a vessel was detained at Mistley after being found with 21 significant deficiencies, leading to twenty specific grounds for detention. After addressing the issues raised by the Port State Control, the vessel was successfully released on November 24, 2014.

In a shocking maritime incident, Viatcheslav Poleshchuk, a 44-year-old captain from Rostov, Russia, has been sentenced to 28 days in jail after crashing the 'RMS Baerl' into lock gates at Goole port not once, but twice. On September 10, during a routine navigation, Poleshchuk was found to be four and a half times over the legal alcohol limit for operating a vessel, recording a staggering 157 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. This is far above the legal threshold of 35 microgrammes for driving on UK roads. The case was brought before Hull Crown Court, where Judge Michael Mettyear condemned Poleshchuk's actions as 'really disgraceful conduct.' He emphasized that Poleshchuk not only caused considerable damage but also attempted to continue sailing under the influence, stating there should be no excuse for such behavior. The judge highlighted the inherent dangers of having an intoxicated individual in command of a large vessel, noting that no previous cases had exhibited readings as high as those found in Poleshchuk's system. The captain, who had already spent a week in custody, was also levied a fine exceeding £1,000. In defense, solicitor Paul Norton remarked on the drastic fall from grace for Poleshchuk, recalling that he had been in charge of his own ship just weeks prior. The sentencing has been met with approval from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, which stressed that being intoxicated while operating any type of vessel is a serious offense with potentially dangerous consequences.