3

Contents
Why and how? page 5

What does fatigue mean for the ship and safety? page 6

The rules in general page 7

What does fatigue mean for health

and performance at work? page 12

Watch systems and fatigue page 17

Choice of watch system and planning page 22

What you can do yourself page 28

Cabin and bunk page 31

Diet and changing watches page 32

Who does what? page 33

Discuss it aboard page 35

The rules more details page 36

Appendix page 38

In preparing this guidance, Seahealth Denmark took tours aboard
numerous ships and interviewed seamen and shipowners on their
experience with watch systems and rest/off-duty time.
We would like to thank:
m.f. Bergensfjord, Fjord Line Danmark A/S
m.f. Mette Mols og m.f. Maren Mols, Mols Linien A/S
m.t. Fiona Swann, UNI-TANKERS A/S
m.s. Brage R, Rohde Nielsen A/S
Scandlines Danmark A/S
SIMAC Svendborg International Maritime Academy
A.P. Mller-Mrsk A/S
Seahealth Denmark, 2010, Copenhagen.
All rights reserved, All trademarks acknowledged.
Limited copying permitted subject to acknowledgement of source.
Publisher: Seahealth Denmark
Responsible Editor: Connie S. Gehrt
Text: Bo S. Jacobsen
Eva Thoft, Grontmij Carl Bro a s
Cover photo: Jan Richardt (HFV 2009)
Other photos: Finn Salomon Nielsen (HFV 2008),
Carsten Gydahl-Jensen
Torkil Adsersen, Danish Maritime Museum.
Illustrations: Lars-Ole Nejstgaard
Graphical design: martinsonnedesign
Printed by: Grefta
English version: Michael Stebbing
Thanks to: Jan Ovesen, Scansleep,
Jesper B. Rasmussen, Consultant.

ISBN: 978-87-92084-05-7
4

Why and how?
Rest time at sea has attracted considerable attention. Do crew get
sufficient sleep? What are the consequences of lack of rest? What
do the regulations on hours of rest say and how should we comply
with them? These are important questions that have a significant
impact on health and the safety of the ship. This guidance aims to
give some answers and to inspire a fresh look at work planning so
as to make it possible to ensure more people get the rest they need.
Sleep and sufficient rest are absolutely critical for us to be able to
function optimally and to attend to our duties safely and efficiently.
It is not just a question of the immediate well-being of the crew. It
is crucial for the vessels safety and efficiency and the quality of the
work that is done. Prolonged lack of sleep is also damaging to the
health. There must be the right balance between work and rest time.
So there are many good reasons for focusing on planning work and
rest hours. And it must be possible to establish better conditions
for rest at sea. But it demands that all those involved, company and
ships management and individual seamen, recognize that sufficient
rest is absolutely essential for modern shipping and for operating
safely and soundly.
WHY AND HOW? REST AT SEA
Who influences rest hours?
Several players are involved:
The Maritime Authority - sets safe manning at the
request of the shipowner.
Customers - can make demands with consequences
for operations and planning.
Company management - set the overall framework
for how the ship operates, for example crew size and
route plans.
Ships management - plan work and watches.
Individual seamen - have their own duty to get the
best possible sleep given the conditions.
This guidance is directed at company and ships management
and individual seamen.
Company management need to take the lead and show that
they take rest time seriously in setting the framework that
enables ships management to do the planning and to ensure
good communication between ship and office. But company
management can only change the planning framework if they
know about the true state of conditions aboard, and here it
is up to ships management and individual seamen to ensure
that relevant information about off-duty time and rest are
passed to company management.
Ships management must be willing to take a new look at
planning and then use it to ensure that the crew get the best
possible rest. And finally, individual seamen should ensure
that they do rest when off-duty so that they can sail and work
properly.
5
REST AT SEA WHAT DOES FATIGUE MEAN FOR THE SHIP AND SAFETY?

What does fatigue mean

for the ship and safety?
We do not know how many accidents are caused by lack of sleep. There is a greater risk of being injured if you are tired. Staying
Accidents seldom have a single cause. But lack of sleep plays awake for 17-19 hours at a time can have the same effect on behaviour
a part in accidents because it leads to poor concentration and as a blood alcohol level of 0.5 . Unfortunately it is difficult to
slower reaction times. It increases the risk of mistakes and people demonstrate how many accidents have been caused by fatigue
react slower which can mean not averting an accident in time. since the reports often do not give information about the reasons.
Here it is mainly the immediate circumstances of the accident that
According to the Danish Maritime Authority Accident Investigations are described.
Units themed investigation on Danish Cargo Ships - Groundings
2000-2008, which investigated 45 groundings, the conclusion
was that fatigue was a factor in two instances and the Investigation
Units subjective conclusion was that fatigue could have been
implicated in another ten cases.

of vessels
Since then, hundreds gone
ve
around the world ha instances
m an y
aground and in
a part. In an
fatigue has played Accidents
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in-depth investigatio 003
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carried out by the
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(MAIB), a third of ficer in need
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were caused
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vestigation
The Norwegian in
orwegian
from 2006 by the N showed
ate
Maritime Director fallen
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that officers who
as a resu lt of atch were involved
Accidents at sea if they could asleep on w 88 groundings.
fatigue are pointle
ss in eight out of
dent s number of
have been avoided. W hen acci
te n A nd meanwhile the tigue is
nces are of lating to fa
occur, the conseque xon Valdez accidents re
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6
 The rules - in general REST AT SEA

The rules - in general

Getting enough sleep depends on the size of the crew and the Maintaining a safe watch on the bridge and engine room.
distribution of working and rest time. So there are also rules for Servicing and maintaining life saving equipment.
crew size and for how much rest crew should have when working Servicing and maintaining damage control, fire-fighting
at sea. and communication equipment.
Safety-related maintenance and cleaning.
Crew size Mooring duties.
The Maritime Authority sets the minimum manning requirement Catering and health issues.
on the basis of a detailed application from the company. This
means that the crew size is set for every individual ship taking into
account the type of ship, its design, equipment, use and routes. In
that way, the size and composition of the crew make it possible to
cover all the operations that are important for the safety of the ship
and those aboard, including:

7
REST AT SEA THE RULES in general
When deciding the crew size the Maritime Authority must con-
sider the watch system aboard, shift work, the actual working hours
of individual teams in line with the provisions of working hours
legislation and the use of unit manning. The Maritime Authority
must ensure sufficient duty watches in the crew setting. Sufficient
duty watches mean that the Watch-keeping Order must always
be complied with, including bridge, engine room, radio watches,
lookouts, etc.
But the Maritime Authority does not basically consider the re-
sources required to deal with commercial or possibly maintenance
duties on the ship which do not directly influence the safety of
those aboard or the ship; for example administrative duties relating
to cargo, engine room/deck maintenance, and serving and sales
to passengers or administration of the ship. This means that the
company needs to consider whether there are duties which the
manning can do and still comply to the rules on rest time. If not,
the company should consider shore-based assistance, such as dock
workers for loading and discharging cargo, fixing lashings, providing
the ISPS watch at the ships gangway, repair gangs sailing aboard,
maintenance while docked. Or the crew could be relieved by way
of technical solutions or whether there are administrative duties
aboard that could be made easier by IT solutions or possibly which
could be moved to the shore-based organization.
The company is responsible for ensuring that the rules on rest are
always complied with and it should regularly assess whether the
crew aboard is actually sufficient to meet the rest time legislations.
This means, that the company always should consider the extra
work required for example due to sailing new waters, a new use for
the ship or that the ship has become older and therefore requires
additional routine maintenance and repairs.
Rest hour rules
The general rule for seamen is that there should be ten hours of rest
daily and 77 hours of rest in a week. Rest hours should at most be
split into two periods of which one period must be at least six hours.
This general rule can be varied but only subject to the minimum
standards set in the STCW Convention. This means that rest time
can be reduced to a minimum of six hours in 24 twice in a week at
most, on condition that total rest time in a week is at least 70 hours.
On the other days, rest time must be at least ten hours within a 24
hour period, taken from the time when first going on duty in the
calendar day.
At a diplomatic conference in Manila in June 2010 a revision of the
STCW-convention was passed by IMO. The revised convention
take effect from 2012.
8
In the collective agreement, you can see whether variations from the
general rule apply to you or your ship. There are also various situations
when rest hours can be varied for a while. See exceptions from the
rule on page 36.
One further issue is that on Sundays and public holidays, seamen
must not be required to do work that can be postponed.
There are extra requirements for young people under 18 which give
them more opportunity for rest.
If you wish to know more, please see Order 515 of
21/6 2002
The rules are drawn up by ILO (International Labour Organisa-
tion), IMO (International Maritime Organization). You can read
more about the rules and how they should be interpreted on page 36.
The Danish rules are given in Danish Maritime Authority Order
515 of 21/6 2002, with subsequent amendments.
WHERE DOES IT SAY SO?
STCW-convention: Section VIII/1
The STCW-convention (Standards of Training,
Certification and Watchkeeping) also contains rules
on rest time. These rules set the minimum standard for
watch-keeping seamen. The convention is amongst oth-
ers implemented in Danish law by Order 515 of 21/6
2002 on rest time.
EU Council Directive 1999/63 of 21 June1999 
- Working hours Directive
The Directive implements the general rule of the ILO
Convention on the basis of an agreement with the organisations
on working hours for seafarers made between the European
Community Shipowners Associations (ESCA) and the
Federation of Transport Workers Union (FST).
Order 515 of 21/6 2002
The Order implements EU Council Directive in Danish
law. Order 515 of 21/6 2002 was amended by Order 1053
of 28/10 2008. The Order on seafarers rest hours is to be
found in Danish Shipping Acts 3-A 170.
 The rules - in general REST AT SEA

Minimum daily hours of rest (as per Order 515 of 21/6 2002)
Hours of work 8 hours 6 hours
Hours of rest 6 hours 4 hours

There shall be rest time of at least ten hours in every working day. A working day is a period of 24 hours starting when a
seaman goes on duty. Rest time can at most be split into two periods, with one period lasting at least six hours and the other
never less than one hour. The time between two periods of rest must not exceed 14 hours.

A minimum rest time of ten hours in 24 is too little if you are working seven days a week, see the figure below.

Minimum weekly hours of rest (as per Order 515 of 21/6 2002)
Hours of work 91 hours
Hours of rest 77 hours

In a seven-day week, you must have at least 77 hours of rest.

Rest time registration Off-duty time and rest

So as to check compliance with rest time, daily hours of rest must
be registered for each individual seaman. This also applies to the
Master if he stands watch. The Danish Maritime Authority has
produced registration schedules. One schedule covers a month.
The schedule must the signed by the seamen and countersigned
by the Master or someone authorised by the Master to do so.
The schedule can also be used when work is being planned.
Further, the completed schedules makes an excellent basis for
discussions in the safety committee on how to comply with the rest
hour rules aboard and on whether the company needs to have an
explanation for any problems with rest hours compliance.
The rules on hours of rest do not in themselves ensure sufficient
rest. This requires individuals to use their time off-duty to get the
necessary rest and also that there is sufficient peace and quiet. It
also appears that it is difficult to get time for sufficient sleep using
one of the most commonly used watch systems found at sea, the
6-6 system. The next chapter gives more details about how to get
sufficient rest and on page 17 you can read about watch systems
and fatigue.

See the schedule at the back of this guidance.

9
 REST AT SEA Case
SE
CA
A rating, John, is standing on a hatch. It is just past noon and
the sun is beating down on his arms and shoulders. He can
taste salt when he licks his lips. It will be nice to get work
finished. He just has to check the last lashings after leaving
port. Then he can go in and have a nice cool shower and get
into his bunk.
He was on watch all night because his mate reported sick.
He is well aware that he is tired and he occasionally makes
some small stupid mistakes. A moment ago, he nearly
tripped over a lashing on the hatch. John gets to the last
lashings placed on the side of the ship.
10
He shakes his head. The dockers have positioned them
wrongly. If only the mate could just check up on the dockers.
Then there would be no reason for John here to be walking
around.
He looks over his shoulder up to the bridge. No, they cannot
see him. If he forgets about getting the fall arrest, he can
quickly fix the lashings and get back to his bunk. He reaches
for the further edge but his foot is jammed. He loses his
balance. The blue colour of the deck rushes up towards him.
He curls up to save himself - but too late.
CASE HVILETID TIL SS

11
REST AT SEA What does fatigue mean for health and performance at work?

What does fatigue mean

for health and performance at work?
Lack of sleep can have fatal consequences for both the ship and
the crew. Some might say that a good nights sleep is a luxury but
they are wrong. It is absolutely essential to be rested for your health
and ability to concentrate.

Good sleep is just as important for your health as healthy food

and exercise. Poor sleep can reduce the efficiency of your immune
system, meaning greater susceptibility to infections, high blood
pressure and diabetes. This is due to the fact that while asleep,
many important substances are produced that are important for our
physical health. If you are tired, you for example have the urge for
more sweet, unhealthy food.

Everybody knows the effect of a good nights sleep. You wake up

feeling well rested, fit, happy, lots of surplus energy and looking
forward to the challenges of the day. You are full of energy and
feel you can tackle the world. We all also know the effect of the
opposite, a bad night or a short night. You are woken up, feeling
unrested, heavy headed and dont want to leave your bunk. You
become introvert, irritable, short-fused and you think and react
more slowly than when you are well rested. Why so?

Because a good sleep is a precondition for us to be able to function

optimally and sleep must be sufficiently long and undisturbed.

How much sleep?

You need to sleep about half as long as you are awake. But there
are individual differences. Some can manage with 6-7 hours of
sleep and others need 8-8 hours of sleep. There are many factors
that can affect how long we sleep and the quality of our sleep.
The two most important are the need for sleep and our daily
rhythm. Your need for sleep is controlled by how long you have
been awake. The daily rhythm is controlled by our inner clock.
Need for sleep
Sleep is just like hunger and thirst. The longer we go without
drinking, the thirstier we become. It is the same with sleep. We are
normally awake for 16-18 hours, then we get sleepy and can easily
fall asleep. After sleeping for 6-8 hours, we are well rested and can
again function well for 16-18 hours.

A study of more than a million people over six years showed
that people who sleep about 7 hours had the lowest mortality
rates and those getting less than 4 hours had the highest
mortality. The study also showed that you can have too
much sleep. Those getting more than nine hours of sleep
a day had increased mortality.
M.D. Daniel F. Kripke,,
University of California, San Diego, www.uscd.edu
The need for sleep thus builds up during the course of the days
activities. And it falls again while we sleep. You sleep according to
the need you have built up and then wake up well rested. But if
you get less sleep, you feel tired and insufficiently rested.
When we sleep, we are unconscious but can be woken up again.
How easily we wake up, depends on the stage of sleep we are in.

12

It was close to 01:00 hours and Michael had been
relieved by the deck watch around midnight. He had
been on duty for the past six hours. Then he went up to
the bridge just to check that the charts were in order and
that the route was ready on the GPS. He had worked
on the route during the afternoon and he just wanted
to make sure that everything was alright. They had to
depart in a couple of hours and he didnt want to have to
think about it when getting up to get things ready on the
bridge.
Case REST AT SEA
CA
S E
Michael checked his watch. He could hardly be
bothered to go to bed. He would not actually have had a
proper sleep when they came and woke him in an hour.
He would just be feeling totally shattered. He could just
as well sit and watch a film.
After the bridge was all clear, he went out on deck for
departure at 03:00. He could actually feel that he had
not had any sleep, other than a couple of hours around
noon the previous day. But he pulled himself together.
If the others can, so can I, he thought.
13
REST AT SEA What does fatigue mean for health and performance at work?

Sleep cycle and stages of sleep

A sleep cycle consists of several stages. From being awake to
asleep we go through stage 1 sleep. You doze, consciousness
gradually disappears in the course of 5-10 minutes. You then
slip into stage 2, and sleep for about 30-40 minutes. You can be
relatively easily woken from stage 2, if for example the ship rolls
or there is noise in the passageway. Consciousness then returns
rapidly and in just a couple of minutes you can be thinking clearly.
behind closed eyelids. At this stage, if someone is woken, they can
generally remember vivid dreams and quickly return to normal
consciousness.
A sleep cycle takes about 1 hours in all. You then slide back into
the second sleep cycle. In a normal night, you will have 4 6 sleep
cycles.

If you are allowed to sleep undisturbed, you slide into deep sleep,
stage 3 and 4. Here it is very difficult to wake you. If you are woken,
getting back to full consciousness is not so easy as from stage 2.
Your brain would prefer to go back to sleep again and does not
function as when you are really alert. This means that if you have
to deal with problems in this condition, there is an increased risk
of making a wrong decision.
On the other hand, if you are allowed to sleep undisturbed in deep
sleep, it disappears after about 30-40 minutes. You glide up to
stage 2 again and possibly stage 1 and enter dream sleep (REM -
Rapid Eye Movements). In this stage, the eyes move rapidly
In the first part of a period of sleep, there is very deep sleep in
every cycle. During the course of a period of sleep, the proportion
of deep sleep in an individual sleep cycle diminishes. In the last
part of a period of sleep, you are mainly in light sleep - stage 1, stage
2 and REM.
If trying to sleep after being awake for longer than normal, for
example when approaching or leaving port or in major maintenance
jobs, you will find that you quickly glide into deep sleep. There will
also be more deep sleep in the individual sleep cycles. This means
that you are catching up on lost sleep by sleeping more heavily.
So you do not need to replace lost sleep hour for hour.

A sleep cycle with the stages of sleep. A sleep cycles takes about 1 hours.
Awake
REM
5-30 mins REM dreams

Stage 1: 5 mins easy to wake Stage 1: 5 mins easy to wake

Stage 2: 15-40 mins relatively easy to wake Stage 2: 15-40 mins relatively easy to wake

Stage 3 and 4: 30-40 mins difficult to wake Stage 3 and 4: 30-40 mins difficult to wake

This shows a sleep period of 8-9 hours consisting of 6 sleep cycles.

The deepest sleep is in the first cycle.
Awake
REM
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Stage 4

14
 What does fatigue mean for health and performance at work?
24 hour day and night rhythm
The longer we are awake, the harder it is to stay awake, especially
if we do not stay physically active. It is especially difficult to stay
awake at night. We do in fact have an inner clock at the centre of
our brains which is very regular. It operates to its own rhythm and
sends signals that we should be active during daylight hours and
quiet and relaxed during the dark part of the day. And this contin-
ues even though we try to turn the day around.
For example, it generally takes a whole week to change your daily
rhythm if flying to USA or China. When you arrive, your body
clock does not correspond to the rhythm that people in USA or
China have. They are either several hours ahead or behind. It
takes a good week before the body and inner clock adjust to the
new time.
Our inner clock controls our body temperature and hormones,
including cortisol and melatonin. The concentrations of both
hormones in the blood depend on the time of day. High cortisol
levels provide for more stimulus and activity. High melatonin levels
make us slow down and feel sleepy. During the day, body tempera-
ture and cortisol level is high and melatonin level is low. And vice
versa at night. Then the body temperature and cortisol level fall
and the level of melatonin rises. Sunlight is the strongest factor that
controls our inner clock. It degrades melatonin. Which is why spe-
cial full spectrum daylight lamps in control rooms or deck offices,
for example, help make people feel less sleepy. Other factors are
physical activity and meals. Sometimes we can help make the clock
adjust to a new daily rhythm by adjusting these factors.
Consequences of daily rhythm changes
Working at night means working at a time when the brain is ready
for sleep, until it has adapted to a new daily rhythm. This means
that you think a little slower and reaction times can be a little longer.
The risk of making mistakes follows the inner clock. If you switch
from a normal daily rhythm of sleeping at night and being awake in
the day, you can manage reasonably well for the first hours of the
night. But between 03.00 - 05.00 hours, reaction times are longer
and the ability to concentrate has declined. It becomes very dif-
ficult to keep your eyes open. This means that there is a great risk
of mistakes and accidents.
REST AT SEA
Especially if you already are in lack of sleep. And if you have to sit
still, monitor things and keep a lookout in the dark, it becomes even
more difficult to stay awake.
Many of us have tried nodding off, with the head falling forward
and the eyes closing. You fall asleep but perhaps wake up imme-
diately as the head falls forward. You have then had a micro sleep
event. But in the worst case, people do not wake up as the head
falls forward. They continue to sleep until woken by an alarm
or someone else. This involves falling properly asleep. And not
watching the signals that they are meant to be keeping an eye
on. And even if you are just sleepy, reaction times can be longer,
meaning that you do not react in time and in some situations this
can have catastrophic consequences.
When you are finally relieved and can go to your bunk, it can
be difficult to fall asleep despite having a large lack of sleep. It is
because your daily rhythm has signalled your body and brain that
it should be alert and active. If you are lucky enough to fall asleep,
you risk waking up again easily. Partly because your body clock is
signalling activity and partly because it is day with noise and light
that can disturb you. Most people find it gets better after a few
nights. The inner clock begins to adapt to a new daily rhythm and
after 5 - 6 days, most people find they have adapted to the new
rhythm. Even so, very few who work at night get the same amount
of sleep. It is more difficult to get good sleep during the day than at
night. So periods of working at night often mean constant lack of
sleep.
The longer you spend with the same hours of work and the fewer
changes, the fewer problems it gives. Ideally, half the crew should
only work and be busy at night and sleep during the day while the
other half sleeps at night and works during the day.
Unfortunately this is seldom possible. Every time you change,
you get out of your rhythm and it takes several days to get back to
normal.
15
 REST AT SEA Case

ES
CA

It has just gone 04.30 hours and it is still dark outside.
The mate has just poured yet another cup of coffee to stay
awake. He has been on watch since midnight and there are
still some hours before he is relieved. It will be good to get
to his bunk after the last few days of hard work in port.
He quickly calculates: 6-8 hours of sleep a day but split
into bits meaning he has only had 3 - 5 uninterrupted hours
of sleep at a time. But that was what he had to do to get
everything to work out.
He sits still in his chair. It gets more difficult to focus on the
radar screen and the picture becomes fuzzy and monotonous.
His thoughts slide slowly to his forthcoming holiday and
things to do when he gets home. They could take a holiday
cottage. He can see the children in front of him - they are on
a swing. He wakes up with a shock through his whole body.
The alarm has gone off..

16

Watch systems and fatigue
The watch system provides the framework for how much rest indi-
vidual seamen can get. At sea, there are two special watch systems:
a 2-shift watch where there are two watches to share the working
hours of the day and a 3-shift watch where there are three watches
to share the day. It is the company that makes the final decision
about crew size based on the minimum manning laid down by the
Maritime Authority and thus also which watch system is used
aboard.
By focusing on watch schedules, duties and how they are distributed,
it is possible to try and create better opportunities for the crew to
get sufficient sleep.
3-shift watches
On a 3-shift watch, you get about eight hours on watch and the
possibility of 16 hours off-duty in a day if you do not overlap others
shifts. This basically means that there should be no problem in
complying with the rest time legislation either in a day or a week.
But there can be situations when it might be necessary to work
overtime and then it is important to keep an eye on compliance
with the rest time regulations.
Watch systems and fatigue REST AT SEA
Also be aware that there can be other issues that mean you do not
get sufficient sleep. These might be changes in duty hours which
could affect your daily rhythm, or working at night and noise which
means that you sleep badly.
2-shift watches
On a 2-shift watch, you work on principle 12 hours on and 12 hours
off. This does not give any immediate problems with the rest time
regulations, over a day or a week. But this system means slightly
greater challenges, for example if you opt for the common 6:6 watch
system. This makes it difficult to get much more than five hours of
sleep at a time even if you go directly to your cabin when you go
off-duty. First, it takes time to get to your cabin and then it takes a little
time to calm down so that you can fall asleep.
A Swedish survey confirmed that seamen on 3-shift watches were
more rested then seamen on 2-shift watches.
The survey (VTI-report) is entitled Fatigue at Sea - A field study in
Swedish shipping.
17
REST AT SEA Watch systems and fatigue

There are other watch systems than the 6:6 model, for example the
8:4 system. It provides better conditions for getting enough sleep
because one period of rest is long enough. On the other hand, the
system has some other disadvantages. Even so, it is a good idea to
check whether other watch systems might fit better with the ship
and the duties involved.
When setting up a watch system, there is many things to be taken
into consideration, such as duties, docking and meal times. The
schedule below gives an assessment of the various systems for
2-shift watches. The time when watches change is important. If
you are in a natural day rhythm, you are very tired at night and
especially at the end of the night, that is between 03.00 - 05.00.
This means that it is not good to have to get up and stand watch at
these times. This is a problem for the 4-4-8-8 and 5-5-7-7 systems if
the watch schedule starts at 00.00 hrs.
Then the person relieving you has to get up at 04.00 and 05.00
in the morning. You should also avoid people being woken in the
first hours after they have fallen asleep. This is when they get most
of their deepest sleep. So if you are woken in this period it reduces
the quality of your sleep. Note that if you wake somebody in a deep
sleep phase, they will find it difficult to wake up and their ability to
concentrate and reactions will be very poor.
If for various reasons it is necessary to place a shift in this critical
time, it is important to ensure that crew are as rested as possible
before the watch starts.
On page 20 there are some examples of watch planning. When
deciding on watch systems, you need to consider the duration of
periods of rest and the time when the watch changes.

Possibility of getting Length Distribution Link

Watch system enough sleep of watches of night duties to mealtimes
6-6-6-6 Poor Medium Evenly balanced Easy
12-12 Good Very long Great imbalance Easy
4-4-8-8 Good Long and short Equal Difficult

5-5-7-7 Fairly good Bit long and short Option of Difficult

even balance

18
 Case REST AT SEA

CA
S
E

Engineer Sergey has just finished his evening rounds and is In the morning he is sitting groggily eating his breakfast.
ready to head for bed. He is on-call but just hopes that there The First Engineer comes and sits at his table: Morning
are no alarms during the night because he is tired. Sergey, all bright and fit - ready for boiler maintenance?

It is 02.00 hrs when the first alarm sounds. He gets dressed

and goes down to the control room. Luckily, it is nothing serious
and he goes back to his bunk 15 minutes later. The same
thing happens again at 03.30 hrs.

19
REST AT SEA Watch systems and fatigue

First watch system example 2-shift watch 7 - 5 - 5 - 7.

Breakfast Lunch Dinner
00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Duty 
officer 1
Duty 
officer 2

Advantages: Disadvantages:
- Both offer the option of sufficiently long periods of sleep - Only one sleeps at night
- Watches fit with mealtimes
- The person on night duty has a long rest before going on watch

Below we show how planning might be for a ship if 7-5-5-7 was introduced.
Remember that this is only an example; you need to adapt your watch system so that the planning fit your ship.

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
CPT
CH OFF
OFF 1
AB 1
AB 2
AB 3
Cook
CH Eng
Motorm.

Watch or working time Meal/break

Another watch system - 3 watch system 6 - 2 - 2 - 2 - 6 - 6

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Duty officer 1
Duty officer 2
Duty officer 3

Advantages: Disadvantages:
- All can get long enough sleep. Two get a good nights sleep, - nil
someone has to stand watch at night but there is a lengthy
period with the opportunity for rest.
- Shifts match mealtimes

20
 CASE REST AT SEA

CA
S
E

Peter sat down for dinner in the mess after he had managed
a bath and done his rounds. He had been doing scheduled
maintenance all day and he was getting tired. But they
would be docking during the night and after arrival, they
had to get ready to overhaul the exhaust valve on the
main engine. Just the thought of it almost made him feel
exhausted.
First a whole working day, he still had to do the last
evening round and then arriving at night and when would
they be finished with the exhaust valve? Probably some-
time tomorrow morning. Why on earth couldnt they
have planned things so that he could have slept until they
arrived?

21
REST AT SEA Choice of watch system and planning
Choice of watch system
and planning
Many people are cautious about changing the watch system because
it can make waves in a mass of routines. And you know what
you have, and it works. Misplaced loyalty to routines and payroll
systems can also be a hindrance to changing systems. Changing to
another watch system challenges the we usually kind of thinking.
When considering ships in the merchant service, one wonders why
so many use the same watch patterns and work organizations when
ship types, cargoes, routes, nationalities, ISM systems and shipowners
are not the same.
Just thinking about how important sleep is for health makes it
worth considering changes to your watch systems. A critical review
of the watch system may show that small changes in the allocation
of duties could make it possible for significantly more crew to get
proper sleep.
When choosing the system and planning watches aboard, there
are various pieces of the puzzle that must fit. Some are known factors,
others are unforeseen.
Known factors:
Vessel
Route plan
Duties
Crew size
Crew qualifications
Unforeseen factors:
Accident aboard or breakdown
Weather
Delays
It is of course the company that sets the overall planning frame-
work for the ship. So the company should start by discussing the
options first. What policies and guidelines should apply for watch
planning? When these have been fixed, specific decisions about
planning can be made aboard individual vessels.
22
In addition to the companys guidelines, the following should be
taken into account aboard:
List what duties should be carried out with the ship underway.
Consider carefully who could do these duties properly.
Find out which duties can only be done at certain times.
Consider if it is possible to be more flexible with meal times.
On the basis of this overview, try making a watch schedule to
ensure insofar as possible:
Sufficiently long periods of rest enabling as many people as
possible to get at least six consecutive hours of sleep.
Be aware of the critical time between 03.00 05.00 for crew
on a normal daily rhythm.
Extra time off duty for crew who cannot get long periods of rest.
When planning the practicalities of duties, it is important to ensure
that noisy work is not done near people trying to sleep. It is also
important to ensure as much continuity as possible in the watches
of individuals so that crew do not have to change their daily rhythm
more than absolutely necessary.
Plan so that you are rested when changing from a 3-shift
watch to a 2-shift watch where there is less chance to sleep.
Plan watch changes to coincide with arrivals. Then more
resources are available at a time when they are needed.
Focusing on the abilities and qualifications of the crew
instead of rank and title will get more pieces of the planning
puzzle to fall into place. Why is it always the mate who
checks the fire-fighting equipment? Could the galley mate
be the ISPS watch? Could the duty officer take care of
officials rather than the captain?

Planning port stays
Staying in port is one of the situations that gives major challenges.
There are many extra duties that require extra hands. Many ships
have completely dropped port stay planning because they cannot
get their plans to work. But taking a fresh look can provide good
opportunities to plan things differently.
First, you should plan as much rest as possible before arrival so that
the crew are as rested as possible before and have the energy for
their duties.
Secondly, take a new look at the allocation of duties. This does not
only need to be done by way of titles so that it is predetermined
which duties go to ABs, first mate, engineer, and chief officer when
docking.
Choice of watch system and planning REST AT SEA
Thirdly and finally, it is important to be aware of the timing of watch
changes. Most seamen know that if arrival or departure times
comes at a watch shift, it is much easier to plan and comply with
rest hour requirements. And that experience reflects a part of the
solution. If we reverse the process and plan on the basis of the timing
of arrival, then this minimizes one critical factor with respect to rest.
We can go a long way by thinking of new ways when planning.
If planning is to work, it requires that we think beyond that is how
we always do it and consider the options instead of allowing us to
be restricted by various barriers we have imposed ourselves.
23
REST AT SEA Choice of watch system and planning

Tools to help plan port stays B) Timing for duties

The tool consists of three parts:
A) Registering duties associated with port stays
B) Schedule for the timing of duties
C) Schedule for allocating duties
A) Registering duties
First, list the duties associated with port stays, that is before, during
and afterwards. The figure on page 25 shows some duties. You can
add others for yourself where relevant. The more you have listed and
planned, the fewer unforeseen tasks will arise.
In Schedule B, you can plot duties according to a timeline based
on the time of docking. Add further duties or delete any that are
irrelevant. Watch changes should be set to the same time as
docking since that is when most resources are needed. In the
schedule, note when duties are to be carried out.
C) Distribution of duties
In Schedule C, insert the names of who does what and allocate
duties to individuals according to the timeline. When that is done,
consider whether it is actually the best possible allocation of work.

24
 Choice of watch system and planning REST AT SEA

Keep a sharp eye on how you use your resources
Will somebody exceed their work hours?
Could someone preferably be switched to other duties?
Are there too few crew members to do a job properly?
Could others with sufficient qualifications do the job?
Could somebody else who is already up and about do
the job so the people off duty are not disturbed?
When you have left port, consider whether your planning was in
line with the realities. And use your experience to improve planning
for your next docking.
This procedure may not solve all rest hour problems but it can help
you take into account the many issues that could otherwise conflict
with rest hours.

Pilot ladder Crew fore and aft

Pilot Manual steering Arrival Gangway
Lookout Lashings Loading /discharging
Watches ISPS
Cargo planning

IN
Contact personnel
Agent
Payments
por

Officials Contact personnel

Person i/c
t stay

Line handling
Bunkering Bunker watch
Person i/c

Person i/c
Prvisioning Duty crew
OUT

Person i/c
Maintenance
Duty crew
Pilot ladder Crew, fore and aft
Pilot Manual steering Departure Gangway
Look out Anchor standby

25
REST AT SEA Choice of watch system and planning

Sample watch schedule This naturally means he has to be off-duty during the day since
At page 27 you can see an example of a completed watch schedule. he will have to work again later that evening.

Duties have been inserted in the upper part of the schedule. The guidance includes a blank schedule template that you
A line has been drawn through 16.00 hrs since that is when we can copy and use. You could also use a normal squared pad.
arrive. In the example we therefore plan the change of watch to Finally, you can find an Excel file on the enclosed CD.
happen at the arrival time, as described on page 27.
Figure page 27: Blue is working hours. Light blue is crew members
At the bottom of the schedule, crew have been assigned to duties. on stand by.
There has been a check on whether the plan complies with the
rest hour regulations and whether it will work aboard. More people
have been involved so as to solve the puzzle - here for example we
have used the motorman for arrival.

26
 Choice of watch system and planning REST AT SEA

PORT: Bergen + PILOT 14:30 ETA: 16:00 ETD: 09:00 - PILOT 10:30

DUTIES 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11
Pilotage
Pilot ladder
Look out
Manual steering
Arrival
Crew, fore and aft
Gangway
Lashings
Duty teams
Loading/discharging
ISPS
Cargo planning
Agent
Contact personnel
Payments
Officials
Contact personnel
Person i/c
Bunkering
Lines handling
Bunker watch
Officer i/c
Provisioning
Contact personnel
Maintenance
Person i/c
Duty crew
Departure
Crew, fore and aft
Gangway
Anchor standby
Pilot
Pilot ladder
Look out
Manual steering

CREW 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11
CPT
CH OFF
OFF 1
OFF 2
AB 1
AB 2
AB 3
AB4
Cook
Galley Mate
CH Eng
ENG 1
ENG 2
ENG 3
Motorman/oiler

27
REST AT SEA What you can do yourself

What you can do yourself

Reduce sleepiness on night watches Sleep well after a watch

After leave, people are normally in their normal daily rhythm. If you
are starting your tour with night watches, it is a good idea to take
the top off your need for sleep by being as rested as possible before
going aboard.
Lets say that you get up at about 06.00 - 07.00 hrs. This means
that by 18.00 -19.00 hours, you will have been awake for 12 - 13
hours. So it is possible to sleep for a few hours before starting
work at midnight. Your body clock will still mean that you feel very
tired at 03.00 - 04.00 hours but it will be less pronounced. This
means, that your accumulated lack of sleep will be a few hours less
than if you had gone to bed around 18.00 - 19.00 hours.
Physical exercise is best to do after you have slept and before you
go on duty. It stimulates the body and gets things going. The effect
can last for 3 - 4 hours and keeps sleepiness at bay.
First, slow down. That means, do not go straight to bed but prepare
yourself by relaxing a little first. As far as you can, think about and
resolve any problems you have on your mind. If that cannot be
done right here and now, it may help to decide what you are going
to do next time you are awake. You should wipe the board clean as
far as you can so that you do not have thoughts and problems on
your mind.
Observe and repeat the same ritual every time you head for your
bunk. When you lie down, you need to relax. Do the things that
normally make you relax. There are various techniques that can
help. If you find it difficult, try relaxation and breathing exercises,
meditation and the like. Insofar as possible, try not to be disturbed
by lights and noise, for example a mobile phone left switched on.

Cut the need to sleep with a powernap

A powernap is a short snooze, no longer than 15 - 20 minutes. If
you sleep or rest longer, there is the risk of falling deeply asleep.
That is not a good idea because then you will find it difficult to get
going when you are woken.

28
 What you can do yourself REST AT SEA

Switch from night watch to normal daily rhythm
When you get home, avoid sleeping during the day or in any case,
sleep as short a time as possible and as early in the day as possible.
Get out in the sunshine. After several days of night duty, your brain
will secrete melatonin during the day. This will make you sleepy
but the effect is reduced by sunlight because it degrades melatonin.
If you can avoid sleeping, you will build up a need for sleep which
will make it easier to fall asleep at normal bedtime.
If you feel really sleepy during the day, go for a run or do something
else physical to get the body up to speed again. But remember to
stop 3 - 4 hours before going to sleep. Try not to sleep late the next
morning even though it is a day off. Get up at the normal time to
re-establish your normal daily rhythm.
If you cannot fall asleep when you go to bed at night, then do not
stay in bed. Get up and wait until you feel sleepy and try again.
It is not unusual to sleep badly the first night after a period of night
duty but after two-three nights most people find their daily rhythm
is re-established.
Driving after night watches (mostly for ferry crews)
After a night watch, there is always the risk of your reaction times
being slower. If you are going to drive home after work, there could
be a risk that you will fall asleep due to the monotony in driving.
The most effective way of reducing this risk is by sleeping. That
means sleeping before you drive or if you feel tired while driving,
pull over to the side and have a nap.
Avoid jet-lag
Try as early as possible to live by the local time where you are
going. This means trying to sleep at the same time as people at the
destination you are heading to. By reducing your sleep when travel-
ling, you can make your need for sleep greater than normal at the
time you will be going to bed at your destination. This will make it
easier to fall asleep even though the time does not fit in with your
body clock.

Staying awake
on night watch
If you have to work in the dark
and with the lack of activity, such
as when working on the bridge, it
is especially difficult to stay alert.
Try the following:
Take a little physical exercise,
for example running on the
spot. This boosts the body and
gets the brain going too.
Eat some fruit /carrots, as the
taste stimulates an area in the
brain and chewing stimulates
another area.
Drink a single cup of
coffee or tea - it freshens
and stimulates you.

29
REST AT SEA What you can do yourself

The company should plan the start of tours and travel so that if
possible you can start your duties well rested.
Reduce sleepiness from your body clock by getting out into the
sunshine. This reduces the effect of melatonin which the body
produces at night.
Some sleep problems do not come from working at night or changing
watches. These may be due to a range of conditions such as snoring
or sleep apnoea which gives a feeling of suffocation during sleep
and discomfort in the legs and arms.
If you suspect that you are suffering some of these things, and it is
affecting your sleep, you should get in touch with Radio Medical or
your own physician when you are home.
There is sleeping medication in the A and B medical chest but
it has to be prescribed by Radio Medical. And if you take some
sleeping pills with you that have been prescribed by your physi-
cian, they must be registered on the checklist under Other and
new medication.

TIPS FOR SLEEPING WELL

Get up at the same time Do not go to bed hungry,

every day and consider though. Have a light snack,
doing so on days off, too. preferably with a hot drink,
This boosts the bodys such as tea or hot milk to
internal clock. calm you down.

A hot shower shortly

before bed can help you
get sleepy.

Avoid violent physical exertions

just before going to sleep. It is
better to take exercise a couple
of hours before you plan to go If you cannot sleep or you wake up and then cannot get
to bed. back to sleep again, get up. Read a book (not too excit-
ing!) or do a crossword
puzzle.

When you feel sleepy, go

back to bed again.

Avoid big meals, coffee, cola

and other stimulants before Try various relaxation techniques or listen to some
going to bed. A hot shower quiet, calming music that you like. Make sure you have
immediately before going to a player that switches off by itself after a certain time,
bed can help you sleep. soundlessly.

If it is impossible to avoid noise, one emergency solution

could be earplugs.

30
 Cabin & bunk REST AT SEA

Cabin & Bunk

Cabin design Bunk

A cabin should be nice and comfortable, somewhere you like
being. Keep it clean and tidy. Keep the temperature right, that is
slightly cool. If you are cold, you can always put on a blanket. If it
is too hot and you lie there without a cover, you cannot adjust your
temperature. You should have black-out curtains and the cabin
should be insulated for sound. If you are bothered by noise aboard,
you could try a little quiet music in the background to camouflage
the noise.
You can also try wearing a sleeping mask and earplugs if it is
difficult to avoid light and sound.
The bunk must be long and wide enough and the mattress must
be good, possibly with a mattress topper to suit the individual.
Preference for hard or soft underlay is a matter of personal preference.
Bed linen should be clean. Your bunk should the somewhere you
want to be. If you are naturally tired and relaxed, you will fall asleep
and sleep well.
The requirements for bunks are stated in the Danish Maritime
Authority Notice B, chaper II-3, paragraph 11, rule 10.

The requirements for accomodation areas are stated in the Danish Preconditions
Maritime Authority Notice B, chapter II-3, paragraph 11, rule 5. for good sleep

A good bunk of the right size, type of mattress

and bed linen.
A cabin with the suitable temperature,
not too hot and not to dry.

31
REST AT SEA Diet and changing watches
Diet and changing watches
Research has shown a marked increase in digestion problems for
people who work changing watches. After sleep problems, stomach
problems are the most pronounced consequences of changing
working hours. There may for example be a tendency to consti-
pation or diarrhoea and the explanation may be that changing
watches means irregular mealtimes. This may lead to eating more
snacks with too much fat and carbohydrate.
Another factor is that the process of secreting stomach acid, enzymes
and gall to break down, digest and process food is reduced at night.
People who are on duty at night often have high cholesterol levels
and some have signs of insulin resistance, which is a kind of looming
diabetes.
So it is even more important to try to have as good a diet as possible
when you have changing hours of work and work at night.
Food at Sea, A Cookbook for Seafarers Food in the merchant fleet.
The cookbook includes international recipes intended to motivate cooks
and stewards to challenge the five tastes - sweet, sour, salt, bitter and strong.
32
Tips on diet
 Eat three main meals. This helps to maintain your daily
rhythm.
 Eat light meals at night, for example vegetables, fish
and/or light meat, soup or perhaps a small pot of yoghurt.
 Do add a little fruit.
 Drink at least 1 l of liquid during the day. But stop a while
before going to sleep.
 Do not drink at meal times during the night but in between.
That way you avoid diluting the small quantity of stomach
acid that is present at night.
 To maintain a stable blood sugar level which boosts concen-
tration and subsequent sleep, avoid too many biscuits, sweets,
cakes and sweet drinks. If you need sugar, you should eat fruit.
 Adjust your diet so that you do not eat too much.
 Avoid coffee, tea, cola and chocolate for at least three
hours before going to sleep.
 Do not go to bed hungry but only eat lightly before going
to bed.

Who does what?
The various players on and about the ship can contribute in various
ways to a watch schedule that ensures the crew get sufficient rest.
Company management
It is the company that is responsible for managing the route plan.
And it is they who set the overall framework for planning hours
of work and rest. Company management here need to consider
whether work aboard involves extra duties which would require a
larger crew on the ship.
Company management should recognize the experience of the
ship in route planning, Small changes could make it easier to do
reasonable planning aboard. A larger crew may be needed if work-
ing hours are frequently exceeded due to issues that cannot be
resolved immediately.
WHO DOES WHAT? REST AT SEA
Company management should also consider the type of watch system
if seamen on call for unattended engine rooms are often woken by
alarms. This means they fail to comply with the hours of rest regulations
because they do not get at least six hours of uninterrupted rest. If
there are more permanent issues, company management should
consider having an engine room watch on duty instead.
Lack of skills can mean senior crew being disturbed too often while
off-duty because the crew feel they have to consult them when they
are in doubt.
Company management cannot plan for such issues unless they are
aware of them. So they should ensure that there is transparency on
the hours of rest and non-compliance and ensure that they gather
experience from their ships. Company management could also offer
sparring and experience exchange sessions so that ships manage-
ments and crews can learn from each others experience of planning.
33
REST AT SEA Who does what?
Master
The Master is responsible for planning hours of work and rest
aboard the ship. An open approach that encourage dialogue will
provide new opportunities for a watch system that insofar as
possible ensures proper rest for individual seamen.
The Master is also responsible for registering hours of rest and it is
important to ensure that this is done properly. Registration is actually
necessary for being able to assess whether the watch system you
have complies with the rules and provides for proper rest. And
finally, the Master is responsible for ensuring that crew who work
overtime in excess of the rest period get time off in compensation.
34
Individual seamen
Individuals are themselves responsible for using their time off-duty
so that they are rested and can do their work properly. If it has not
proved possible, you should tell your co-workers that perhaps you
are tired and it is not sensible to undertake your duties.
You can contribute your experience and be prepared to do things
differently than you usually do. With respect to rest hour registration,
you are also responsible for proper registration so that ship and
company management can see how well the watch system is working.

Discuss things aboard
Making changes aboard means you need to get the other crew
members to agree to your ideas. Previous experience has shown
that understanding why changes are required and the feeling of
having been involved in a decision are significant for crew involvement
in new activities. Something so vital as changes to the watch system
and working hours must naturally be generally accepted. If these
are not accepted, and if people feel they have not been involved,
human resistance to change will ruin any initiative. Ships manage-
ment should therefore agree on making changes and especially why.
The extent of changes must be broadly agreed with the involve-
ment of the entire crew. This could be done for example by calling
an extraordinary safety committee meeting with everybody invited.
This procedure will create the best basis for getting your message
accepted.
Ships management - agreement
When you call a meeting and wish to make changes that impact
on other peoples daily routines - and your own - it is important that
you yourself can say why these changes are important and that you
can argue for them. You should therefore consider the following:
What are you trying to achieve from the meeting?
What will be discussed /decided at the meeting?
What information will the others present need to be able
to make a decision?
You should first issue an invitation to the meeting and give the other
participants at least two days notice of the meeting. This gives them
the opportunity to think about their own approach and to come up
with arguments for them.
An agenda should contain at least three items:
Information - what you want to do and why. Find material in the
PowerPoint presentation on the CD and in the guidance.
Discussion - what are our high demands for and against.
Decision - what next and when and who will be responsible.
DISCUSS THINGS ABOARD REST AT SEA
Agreement aboard
When ships management has decided that there have to be
changes, the remainder of the crew must be involved. This can
be done in line with the above.
To ensure that the meeting focuses on the changes you want to
make and to help you get as broad a backing aboard as possible,
it is important to consider the following tips for holding meetings:
Ensure that agenda items have been prepared and that the
people involved know who is to prepare which items
Introduce the meeting with a contract, which is an explanation
of what the meeting is intended to achieve, how much time is
available and any priority for agenda items.
Keep an eye on the time
Restrict discussions to agenda items
Ensure that all points of view are heard
Ensure that decisions are made
End the meeting with a summary of what has been achieved
and who is to do what and when
Follow up on decisions made at the meeting
You can find further material and tips for holding meetings on page
72 of our Seahealth publication, A Good Working Life at Sea.
35
REST AT SEA The rules - more details
The rules - more details
What do the rules say?
Following several accidents in which the lack of rest was identified
as a contributory factor, the IMO started to take a closer look at
the rules for hours of work and rest. ILO also followed up on the
issue when the EU was going to draw up rules for working and rest
hours in the mid 1990s. IMO then had discussions on the same
topic as part of revision of the STCW Convention, which was
completed in 1995.
IMO initially issued a resolution defining what rest meant and the
factors leading to a lack of rest. ILO drew up a proposal for the
general rule we now know: 10 hours of daily rest and 77 hours of
rest a week. This general rule was included in regulation VIII/1 of
the STCW Convention which sets minimum standards for watch-
keeping seamen. The STCW Convention also stipulated that
daily hours of rest hours could be reduced to a minimum of 6 hours
in 24 at most twice a week provided that the individual seaman
received a minimum of 70 hours of rest a week.
In 2002, ILOs work and rest hour convention entered into force.
This meant that the general rule of ten hours of rest, etc., took
effect but at the same time it introduced the possibility of arranging
exemptions from the general rule by way of collective agreements,
although subject to the minimum rules of the STCW Convention.
At a diplomatic conference in Manila in June 2010 a revision of
the STCW-convention was passed by IMO. The revised conven-
tion take effect from 2012.
Exemptions from the general rules
There are various provisions in the Danish Order 515 of 21/6 2002
that modify the general rule. You can read how this should be
interpreted here:
Registration of hours of rest by the Master - s. 2 (2)
Section 4 (1- 4 & 6), s. 5(1), s. 9, s. 10 and s. 11 (1 & 4) apply to
masters who stand regular bridge watches on merchant ships.
Section 4(1) applies regardless of whether the master stands a
bridge watch. Masters who stand a bridge watch are subject to a
range of regulations on rest hours, including registration of hours
of work and rest. On the other hand, if they do not stand a bridge
watch, they are not required to register hours of work and rest.
36
Calendar day/Working day - s. 4 (4)
At the request of the shipowner, the Maritime Authority may permit
hours of rest in accordance with subsection 2 to be calculated
for each calendar day. A calendar day means between 00.00
24.00 hours instead of a working day. Such agreements have
primarily been made for work on internal ferry routes and often on
ferries where all time aboard is working time, meaning that hours of
rest are taken ashore.
Deviation from the agreement - s. 5
It is possible for watch-keeping seamen or those working on ships
on short voyages, taking into account more frequent or longer
periods of leave or being granted compensatory free days off, to
deviate from the provisions on hours of rest in s. 4 (2 - 3), provided
that due account is taken of the health and safety of the seamen.
It is possible to arrange for deviation from the rules of collective
agreements. Agreements must be approved by the Danish Maritime
Authority which currently has registered about 60 deviation agree-
ments from collective agreements.
Deviations on Danish ships are generally those involving compliance
with parts of the STCW Convention instead of the ILO Convention.
As noted above, the requirements for rest are less demanding.
You may find deviation from the Hours of Rest Order in your
agreement. These deviations may be used when secs 6, 8 and 9
are not applicable. It is not the idea that work should be planned to
benefit from these exemption options but that they can be used in
situations when there is the need for flexibility.
On-call watch - s. 6
Seamen on call must have a compensatory period of rest if their
normal period of rest is interrupted as a result of work. An on-call
watch is therefore not rest time if you are called in during the watch.
It is not a requirement for compensation to be granted for all the lost
hours of rest on a 1:1 basis. The results of being called in may also be
that rest time is split into more than two periods. It is up to the Master
to decide what compensation is required. When registering your
hours of rest, record the actual hours of rest and in the comments box,
note that there has been a s. 6 deviation.

Drills - s. 8
Mustering, fire-fighting and lifeboats drills and other mandatory
drills should be held so they interrupt hours of rest as little as
possible and do not lead to fatigue.
This means that even though you attend a muster, fire or evacua-
tion drill after you go off duty, you will not have interrupted your
rest. Unless you are ordered to take part in clearing up after the
drill. So it is important for ships management to ensure that it is
not always the same person who has to participate in drills when
off-duty.
When you register your hours of rest, you should state the time you
spend on these drills as rest time if you are off-duty then.
Ship safety s. 9
The Master can require seamen to work when required for the
immediate safety of the ship, those aboard or its cargo or to assist
other ships or persons in distress at sea.
In special circumstances, the Master can set aside the rest time
regulations at a critical period. The reason must be that it is
required by the immediate safety of the ship, persons or cargo, or
if the ship is to provide assistance to other ships or persons in need.
The rules - more details REST AT SEA
Safety means situations or duties which could lead to an accident
if they were not dealt with. This does not cover situations or work
that have been planned.
Crew are to be given appropriate time for rest as soon as possible
after conditions have returned to normal. When entering hours of
rest, record the actual hours of rest and in the comments box, note
that there has been a s. 9 deviation.
WHERE DOES IT SAY SO?
STCW-convention: Section VIII/1
The STCW-convention (Standards of Training,
Certification and Watchkeeping) also contains rules
on rest time. These rules set the minimum standard
for watch-keeping seamen. The convention is amongst
others implemented in Danish law by Order 515 of
21/6 2002 on rest time.
EU Council Directive 1999/63 of 21 June1999 
- Working Hours Directive
The Directive implements the general rules of the ILO
Convention on the basis of an agreement on the organisation
of working hours for seafarers made between the European
Community Shipowners Associations (ESCA) and the
Federation of Transport Workers Union (FST).
Order 515 of 21/6 2002
The Order implements EU Council Directive in Danish
legislation. Order 515 of 21/6 2002 was amended by Order
1053 of 28/10 2008. The Order on seafarers rest hours is to
be found in Danish Shipping Acts 3-A 170.
37
REST AT SEA ENCLOSURE

STANDARDSKEMA TIL REGISTRERING AF SFARENDES

DAGLIGE HVILETID I DANSKE SKIBE
Record of hours of rest of seafarers in Danish ships
Sfarendes (fulde navn): Fdselsdato: r:

___________________________________ ___________________ ________________________

Seafarer (full name) Birthday Year

Stilling/rang: Vagthavende: Skibets navn:

Watchkeeper:
___________________________________ ja nej ________________________
Position/Rank yes no Name of ship

Flgende nationale love og administrative bestemmelser og/eller kollektive overenskomster om

minimumshviletid glder p skibet:

The following national laws, regulations and/or collective agreements governing limitations on minimum rest periods
apply to this ship:
Mned:
Month:
Dag Hvileperioder (fra-til) Hviletid i alt Kommentarer
Day Periods of rest (from-to) Hours of rest totally Comments
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31

38