New air and sea alcohol testing

The limits will apply in Britain and to UK crews anywhere in the world

Aviation personnel and professional mariners who drink on duty face breath testing by police under strict new alcohol rules in effect from Tuesday.

Pilots, cabin crew and air traffic controllers are now subject to a limit of 20mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood.

Licensed aircraft maintenance engineers and professional sailors now face the same 80mg limit as road users.

Police will be able to test suspected offenders, who face fines or jail terms if found to be over the new limits.

The penalties could be as high as a £5,000 fine or two years in prison.

Marine officials have also been given powers to detain vessels pending the arrival of the police if they have reason to suspect that an offence is being committed.

The limits for professional sailors will apply to those on UK registered vessels around the globe as well as those serving on foreign or unregistered vessels in UK waters.

Aviation standards

Similarly, the new aviation limits will apply to all pilots, cabin crew, air traffic controllers and licensed aircraft maintenance engineers within the UK and to the crews of UK-registered aircraft anywhere in the world.

Aviation minister Tony McNulty said the limits were an important safety initiative.

"Those working within the industry recognise the danger of attempting to fly whilst impaired and most aviation organisations already operate a zero tolerance policy towards alcohol consumption by staff while on duty," he said.

Mariners, like drivers, need to have a clear head and I hope these new limits will make mariners think and not drink David Jamieson Shipping minister

The British Airline Pilots' Association (Balpa) welcomed the new measures.

Director of flight safety Graham Fowler said pilots abstained from any alcohol eight hours before a flight and often did not drink for 24-hours before take-off.

He said: "What is new in the regulations is that police can breath test a pilot or other member of safety critical personnel like cabin crew and engineers if - and only if - they believe they may be over the existing limit.

"We welcome this."

'Easier' prosecutions

Shipping Minister David Jamieson said the legislation would make it easier to prosecute offenders.

He said: "It is only by having prescribed limits and a proper testing regime that we can be sure of proving guilt or innocence.

"Mariners, like drivers, need to have a clear head and I hope these new limits will make mariners think and not drink. "

The new measures follow a recommendation made by Lord Justice Clarke to introduce alcohol limits and tests for sailors.

Lord Justice Clarke made his recommendation in his Thames Safety Inquiry and endorsed it in his report into the 1989 Marchioness Thames riverboat disaster, which claimed 51 lives.

The government is also consulting on the introduction of an 80mg limit for leisure mariners, which would apply only to those navigating a moving vessel.