Ferry operator revises alcohol policies after booze-related death

The death of a young Norwegian man in April will have serious consequences for the prevailing drinking culture onboard the ferries

Fjord Line has moved to curb the drinking culture on its ferries after a young man died of alcohol poisoning while he was being held in detention on one of its vessels in April.

The Norwegian ferry line, which operates between Denmark and Norway, has decided to make drastic changes to its onboard drinking policies, including forbidding the consumption of alcoholic drinks that have been purchased on land or in the tax-free shop.

Only alcoholic drinks purchased over the counter on the boat will be permitted in the future, according to Ingvald Fardal, the head of Fjord Line.

“The new policy has been decided due to people bringing alcohol onboard and consuming it in their cabins," Fardal told Norwegian broadcaster NRK. "We have not been able to control how much people have consumed, and in the future, we want to implement some limitations. Alcohol will be enjoyed in onboard restaurants and pubs and not behind closed doors.”

The changes follow the April death of Reidar Midtøy, a 20-year-old Norwegian, onboard the Bergensfjord while on his way back to Norway from Hirtshals in Jutland. Attempts to resuscitate him were in vain.

Fjord Line, which operates ferries along routes from Bergen, Stavanger and Kristiansand to Hirtshals in Denmark, noted it will also be improving its security and the supervision of detained passengers to avoid future tragedies at sea.

According to Bergen Avisen newspaper, the Bergensfjord didn’t have a doctor or a policeman onboard when Midtøy died in the holding cell with a blood alcohol percentage almost nine times over the drink-driving limit.  

This was the cell that 20-year-old Reidar Midtøy died of alcohol poisoning in aboard the Bergensfjord (Photo: Fjord Line)According to Bergen Avisen, the Bergensfjord uses its holding cell once a week on average, and Fjord Line sails in accordance with the Danish seafaring law.

“There are no specific Danish conditions in place concerning onboard arrests, and the arrest procedure is in accordance with the company's own procedures and guidelines,” Søren Bach, a deputy police commissioner from Hjørring, told Bergen Avisen. “The maritime accident commision has registered the case but will not take further action.”

Fardal argued that the new policy will not have consequences for the majority of the ferry customers since it is only a few individual cases that have sparked the change. If the crew discovers people drinking in their cabins, they will confiscate the alcohol.

Initially, the drinking ban in cabins will take place onboard the Bergensfjord, while two other ships that sail between Denmark and Norway will also be affected – one on July 14 and the other in six months time.

TOP STORIES

  • Bestselling author of ‘The Year of Living Danishly’ Helen Russell on why she moved back to the UK after 12 years

    Bestselling author of ‘The Year of Living Danishly’ Helen Russell on why she moved back to the UK after 12 years

    After more than a decade living in Denmark, Russell shares why she made the move, how she’s coping, what she already misses, and the exciting new projects she’s working on. “It’s been a very tough decision. I love Denmark, and it will always hold a special place in my heart,” she says.

  • Denmark launches first AI supercomputer

    Denmark launches first AI supercomputer

    The new Gefion AI supercomputer is one of the world’s fastest and will accelerate research and provide new opportunities in Danish academia and industry.

  • Navigating big love, big moves and big feelings

    Navigating big love, big moves and big feelings

    Experts believe it takes seven years to move into a new culture, according to leading Danish psychologist Jette Simon and therapist Vibeke Hartkorn. For expat couples, the challenges of starting a new life together in Denmark can put pressure on relationships, but emotions-focused therapy can help.

  • More and more Danes are working after retirement age

    More and more Danes are working after retirement age

    Politicians debate a lot these days about when you can retire. The reality shows that an increasing number of Danes like to work, even if they can withdraw from the labor market. Financial incentives help.

  • Environmental activist fears death in prison if extradited to Japan

    Environmental activist fears death in prison if extradited to Japan

    Canadian-born environmental activist Paul Watson has been in prison in Greenland for almost 100 days awaiting an extradition decision for a 14-year-old offence against a Japanese whaling vessel that he calls a “minor misdemeanor”. The 73-year-old had previously passed through Ireland, Switzerland, Monaco, France and the USA without trouble, before Greenlandic police arrested him in July.

  • Denmark too slow to ease recruitment rules for non-EU service workers, say industry associations

    Denmark too slow to ease recruitment rules for non-EU service workers, say industry associations

    When the Danish government in January presented the first of its schemes to make it easier to recruit foreign labour from outside the EU, it was hailed by the healthcare and service sectors as a timely and important policy shift. But while healthcare changes have been forthcoming, the service sector is still struggling, say the directors of the industry association Dansk Industri and one of the country’s largest private employers ISS.

Connect club

Connect Club is your gateway to a vibrant programme of events and an international community in Denmark.

Sign up here

Career

  • Come and join us at Citizens Days!

    Come and join us at Citizens Days!

    On Friday 27 and Saturday 28 of September, The Copenhagen Post will be at International Citizen Days in Øksnehallen on Vesterbro, Copenhagen. Admission is free and thousands of internationals are expected to attend

  • Diversifying the Nordics: How a Nigerian economist became a beacon for inclusivity in Scandinavia

    Diversifying the Nordics: How a Nigerian economist became a beacon for inclusivity in Scandinavia

    Chisom Udeze, the founder of Diversify – a global organization that works at the intersection of inclusion, democracy, freedom, climate sustainability, justice, and belonging – shares how struggling to find a community in Norway motivated her to build a Nordic-wide professional network. We also hear from Dr. Poornima Luthra, Associate Professor at CBS, about how to address bias in the workplace.

  • Lolland Municipality launches support package for accompanying spouses

    Lolland Municipality launches support package for accompanying spouses

    Lolland Municipality, home to Denmark’s largest infrastructure project – the Fehmarnbelt tunnel connection to Germany – has launched a new jobseeker support package for the accompanying partners of international employees in the area. The job-to-partner package offers free tailored sessions on finding a job and starting a personal business.

Want to advertise your job with CPH Post?

Contact us

Jobs