A river cruise captain carrying more than 100 passengers has been removed from duty after failing an alcohol test during a joint enforcement operation on one of Belgium’s busiest waterways.
Authorities confirmed the captain was operating a river cruise vessel with 106 passengers on board when he tested above the legal alcohol limit during an inspection near the Albert Canal. The operation was carried out by Belgian and Dutch enforcement agencies and involved checks on multiple commercial vessels travelling through the region.
According to a statement issued by Belgian police, inspectors examined nine commercial ships and one river cruise vessel as part of the coordinated action.
“In total, 9 vessels and 1 river cruise ship were inspected. All active crew members took a breathalyzer test,” Belgian police said in a statement translated into English.
“The skipper of a river cruise ship carrying 106 passengers tested positive for alcohol. His boating license was immediately revoked.”
The captain was immediately relieved of his duties and replaced by another qualified officer so the voyage could continue safely. Authorities have not released the captain’s identity, and the vessel involved has not been officially named.
Under Belgian law, the alcohol limit for recreational operators is 0.5 g/l of blood or 0.22 mg/l of exhaled breath. For professional operators, including those responsible for commercial vessels, the permitted limit is significantly lower at 0.2 g/l of blood or 0.09 mg/l of exhaled breath.
In addition to losing his licence, the captain could also face financial penalties from Flemish waterway authorities.
Questions Remain Over Ship Identity
Officials have revealed only limited details about the vessel involved, confirming that it was sailing between Antwerp in Belgium and Maastricht in the Netherlands at the time of the inspection. The ship is also understood to be Swiss-owned.
Based on vessel movements in the region during early June, several river cruise operators had ships travelling along similar routes. Industry tracking data indicates that vessels operated by Swiss-based river cruise companies, including ships from the VIVA Cruises fleet, were active in the area during the same period.
Other major European river cruise operators also had vessels sailing between Antwerp and Maastricht around the time of the inspection. One vessel that followed a broadly similar itinerary was a Viking-operated ship sailing as part of a longer journey through the Netherlands and Belgium, although authorities have not linked any specific vessel or cruise line to the incident.
As a result, the identity of the ship involved remains unconfirmed.
Cruise Industry Maintains Strict Alcohol Rules
The incident is highly unusual within the cruise industry, where alcohol policies for officers and crew are generally among the strictest in the wider travel sector.
Captains hold ultimate responsibility for the safe navigation of their vessels and are expected to maintain the highest professional standards. Most cruise operators enforce strict limits on alcohol consumption while on duty, with crew members often prohibited from drinking within several hours of reporting for work.
On ocean-going cruise ships, alcohol limits for crew are typically set well below those permitted for passengers, and violations can result in immediate dismissal. Safety procedures require crew members to be capable of responding instantly to emergencies, making impairment a serious concern for operators.
While no injuries, collisions or other safety incidents were reported during this case, authorities acted quickly to remove the captain from command before the voyage continued.
The Albert Canal, one of Belgium’s most important inland waterways, handles significant commercial and passenger traffic each year and is regularly subject to safety and compliance inspections by regional authorities.
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