Maritime drug testing for operators
Ensure the safety of your maritime crew with maritime drug testing that fits the schedule of any flagged vessel.
Substance abuse was a contributing factor to recent maritime accidents, including the Costa Concordia [1], Lysblink Seaways [2] and a UK-flagged workboat [3].
The International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) Manila amendments state that “even small quantities of alcohol have been shown to sufficiently impair judgement and increase the risk of accidents [4].”
Substance abuse from professional seafarer employees can lead to significant challenges for your maritime operations, including:
Safety risks: Substance abuse can impair seafarers’ judgement and ability to perform their duties effectively and safely, leading to incidents, injuries, and even fatalities [5].
Reduced crew morale: Substance abuse can create misconduct problems and negatively affect the culture onboard your vessels [5].
Legal & financial consequences: Substance abuse can cause legal and financial liabilities for seafarers and your shipping company [6].
Reputational damage: Substance abuse incidents can damage the reputation of your shipping company and the maritime industry [7]
Whether in maritime administration or higher management, Racoo’s maritime drug and alcohol testing programme helps you identify and address potential issues before they escalate.
Opt for maritime drug tests to ensure a safe and compliant maritime environment
Create a safe maritime environment
Implementing alcohol tests in the maritime industry may discourage crew members from using drugs, thus decreasing the likelihood of accidents. Reliable testing supports your crew’s wellbeing and helps ensure a safe voyage.
Maintain crew efficiency
Regular screening can ensure your crew remains focused on their duties, supporting a drug and alcohol-free culture and helping to uphold the reputation of your maritime operations.
Comply with maritime regulations
Our fully managed testing service fits the schedule of any flagged vessel across UK, European and Turkish ports. Our office and collectors are equipped with ship tracking software [8] so we can adjust to when your vessels reach port, and our collectors can use pilot ships to get on board.
Get peace of mind for any flagged vessel
Regular screening can ensure your crew remains focused on their duties, supporting a drug and alcohol-free culture and helping to uphold the reputation of your maritime operations.
How can maritime drug testing support your operations?
The Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) has published guidelines for controlling drugs and alcohol onboard ships [9], recommending drug and alcohol screening of professional seafarers.
The suggested best practice maritime drug and alcohol testing regime includes a mix of announced, for-cause and random testing [9].
Racoo Screening can support your maritime drug tests. Different methods, like urine, saliva, or hair samples, can be used to carry out the tests. Our tests can detect a range of substances, ensuring a reliable test result every time.
- Fully managed so that you can focus elsewhere
- Tailored to your maritime needs
- Legally defensible and ethical testing to ensure a safe maritime environment
Why Racoo?
FAQs
About maritime drug testing
According to the UK Department of Transport law, “it is an offence for a professional seafarer to be impaired by drink (or drugs) whilst on duty on board a ship.” Therefore, maritime companies in the UK can conduct drug and alcohol testing, especially following specific incidents or as part of a regular random or announced testing programme.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) describes ‘seafarer’ to mean any person who is employed or engaged or works in any capacity on board a ship [10].
This can look like:
- Ship’s officers and seamen/ratings
- Crew members responsible for the safe handling of passengers
- Seafarers working on vessels involved in oil and gas exploration and production
- Seafarers in safety-sensitive positions
- Seafarers whose actions cannot be discounted as contributing to serious marine incidents
Your company could drug and alcohol test any of the above roles as a seafarer.
The alcohol limit for a seafarer on duty differs between UK and international waters, so you’ll need to be aware of where you’re sailing.
Within the UK, according to the Railway and Transport Safety Act (2003), the limits are [4]:
- Blood alcohol: 50 milligrams in 100 millilitres
- Breath: 25 micrograms in 100 millilitres
- Urine: 67 milligrams in 100 millilitres
Internationally, according to TCW Regulation VIII/1, the limits are [4]:
- Blood alcohol: 0.05%
- Breath: 0.25 milligrams per litre
- Urine: N/A
A breathalyser test is the best way to screen for alcohol. This is because it gives an instant, calibrated, legally defensible result that you can receive on board. Other methods require lab analysis, meaning you’d have to wait up to several days for a result.
The most common type of maritime drug test is a urine test. These can detect various drugs and are favoured in the maritime industry due to their accuracy and affordability. Racoo offers maritime drug testing kits using full chain of custody methods.
No, Racoo Screening works with vessels of all ‘flags’, not just UK-flagged ships. Our services cover key UK, European and Turkish ports. You can see the full list here.
A ‘crew change’ can be an ideal time to conduct drug and alcohol screening. It enables you to test joining and leaving crew members at the same time.
Whilst Racoo can supply equipment and training to support onboard testing in for-cause situations, we recommend implementing a random testing schedule conducted by a third party. You can see Racoo’s random testing services here.
Maritime companies must ensure their drug testing policies are legally defensible and in line with maritime regulations to avoid potential legal challenges. Racoo’s screening services are designed with legal defensibility in mind to and only work with laboratories that meet The United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) ISO 17025 standards.
The STCW Convention advises announced and random drug and alcohol tests for seafarers [9]. The UKOG ENG1 medical test [10] and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency [11] stress its significance. Maritime law mandates substance screening for all sea-based oil and gas workers.
RESOURCES
Learn more about alcohol and drug testing within the maritime sector
references
[1] www.racoo.co.uk Costa concordia disaster: how alcohol played a part
[2] www.maritimecyprus.com UK Marine Accident Investigation: Report on Alcohol-induced grounding of cargo ship Lysblink Seaways
[3] www.gcaptain.com Alcohol a Factor in Two Fatal Accidents Involving UK-Flagged Workboat – MAIB Report
[4] www.gov.uk Standards of training, certification and watchkeeping convention, 1978 as amended Manila amendments
[5] www.safety4sea.com Addressing drug and alcohol abuse onboard: Prevention is a key priority
[6] www.britanniapandi.com Drug and alcohol related incidents
[7] www.ship-technology.com The battle against drug use at sea
[8] www.marinetraffic.com Seven ways MarineTraffic ensures AIS accuracy
[9] www.ocimf.org Guidelines for the control of drugs and alcohol onboard ship
[10] www.gov.uk Seafarers who need both UKOG certificates and ENG1s
[11] www.gov.uk Guidance: Seafarers medical certification guidance