Study Reveals Major Problems with Work/Rest Hours at SeaA recent three-year study has exposed serious issues with how work and rest hours are managed for seafarers, showing that nearly two-thirds of seafarers falsify their work/rest records.
What the Rules Say
The Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC) sets clear rules about work and rest hours for seafarers:- Work hours: No more than 14 hours in any 24-hour period or 72 hours in any seven days.
- Rest hours: At least 10 hours in any 24-hour period and 77 hours in any seven days.
The Study
The research, conducted by Bikram Bhatia as part of his PhD at the World Maritime University, surveyed 6,304 seafarers, interviewed 55 port state control (PSC) officers, and analyzed data from 16,551 PSC inspections.Key findings include:- 64.3% of seafarers admitted adjusting their work/rest records.
- PSC officers often struggle to detect these violations.
- 66.7% of seafarers said their reports were questioned by their companies.
- 60.1% felt pressured to change their records, and 49.1% were directly instructed to do so.
False Compliance and Pressure
While official reports show high compliance rates, this research shows that seafarers are often under pressure to falsify records, creating what Bhatia calls a “false narrative” at policy levels.The Impact on Seafarers
Steven Jones, founder of the Seafarers Happiness Index, highlights the tough situation many crews face. He explains:- Seafarers deal with overwhelming workloads and chronic underreporting of their work hours.
- Being honest about overwork can lead to punishment, but lying might allow them to avoid consequences.
- This lack of transparency creates a system where proper reporting feels impossible.
