No more drunken sailors? Navy to restrict alcohol in health kick on ships

Sailors will be restricted to 14 units each week and must fill in a form to show what drinks they have consumed

The Royal Navy has ordered sailors to abstain from alcohol for at least two days a week in a recent crackdown on boozing aimed to meet the government’s health targets.

Based on advice from military doctors, crews will be restricted to 14 units of alcohol per week, the equivalent of around six pints of beer, and ships will be dry on certain days.

Official documents titled Alcohol Policy Onboard Ships, seen by the Daily Mail, show that the level of alcohol consumption aboard ships “remains a significant concern” to service chiefs.

It revealed that 48 per cent of Navy crew are believed to consume alcohol to excess, down from 55 per cent in 2023.

The report said: “These figures highlight the critical need for stricter alcohol policies to safeguard personnel, enhance operational performance and mitigate risks to operational capacity.”

Official documents revealed that 48 per cent of Navy crew are believed to drink alcohol to excess, down from 55 per cent in 2023. (AFP/Getty)

The move has prompted concerns among sailors that the Navy will eventually follow the US in banning alcohol from ships entirely.

Under the new rules, men and women will not be allowed more than three units a day, with sailors told to fill in a form at the bar listing what drinks they had consumed.

Ships will also enforce at least two alcohol free days each week and bars have been encouraged to stock non-alcoholic beers to support “healthier lifestyle choices” in new orders that replace the “two-can rule” observed across the British Army.

The retired Rear Admiral Chris Parry said that the rules could affect moral and said he had never had any issues in his career with sailors drinking. “You have to trust your sailors and your leaders aboard ships to set the rules,” he said. “You can screw down a system too much. Sailors take great risks and make big sacrifices.”

Sailors will have to fill in a form at the bar listing what drinks they had consumed (MOD/Crown copyright)

The Royal Navy has a long-standing history with alcohol consumption, given that beer was a better alternative to obtaining clean drinking water until the 17th century.

After the capture of Jamaica from Spain in 1655, rum became the drink of choice, given that it could be transported easily and lasted even longer.

Rum mixed with lemon or lime juice was also used to ward off scurvy, a disease which widely affected sailors, and a daily ration known as the ‘tot’ was served as a half pint.

The practice was ended on 31 July 1970 over concerns it was hindering sailors’ ability to operate complex weapons systems, in a move that was known as Black Tot Day.

The Independent has contacted the Royal Navy for comment. A navy spokesperson told the Mail: “The updated policy aligns with advice, ensuring our people remain fit for naval operations.

“It also prioritises the health of our people and ensures they are ready to respond to the dynamic demands of naval operations.”