Ship Operation and Personnel Management
Ship operation and personnel management tests STCW rest hours, watchkeeping practice, fatigue management, the ISM Code and the way a deck officer manages a crew and prepares for port state control.
STCW rest hours
STCW requires at least 10 hours of rest in any 24-hour period and 77 hours in any 7-day period. Rest may be divided into no more than two periods, one of which must be at least 6 hours long, and the interval between consecutive rest periods must not exceed 14 hours. Rest hours must be recorded and the records must be available for inspection. Emergency and drill time counts as duty, not rest.
Watchkeeping and fatigue
Watchkeepers must be fit for duty. Safe manning, bridge resource management, clear handover, night orders and checklists support safe watchkeeping. A sole watchkeeper is not appropriate in congested waters or when the master's standing orders require reinforcement. Fatigue is managed by scheduling, nutrition, sleep hygiene and prompt reporting of tiredness.
ISM and port state control
The ISM Code requires a safety management system with documented procedures, a designated person ashore, master's responsibility and authority, internal audits, non-conformities and corrective action. Port state control uses targeting and clear grounds to inspect; deficiencies can lead to detention. The officer should know the ship's certificates and be able to show records.
Worked example: rest hour compliance
An OOW is scheduled 0000–0400, 0800–1200, 1600–2000 and 2200–2400. Rest is 0400–0800 (4 h), 1200–1600 (4 h) and 2000–2200 (2 h). Is the schedule STCW compliant?
Total rest is 4 + 4 + 2 = 10 hours, so the 24-hour minimum is met. However, rest is divided into three periods, which breaches the maximum of two periods. One period must be at least 6 hours. The schedule is therefore non-compliant. A compliant alternative is 0000–0400, 1200–1600 and 2000–2400, giving rest from 0400–1200 (8 h) and 1600–2000 (4 h). That is two periods, one of at least 6 hours, 12 hours rest in 24 and 84 hours in 7 days.
Traps
- Counting drill or emergency time as rest.
- Forgetting the 77-hour weekly requirement.
- Allowing three rest periods.
- Assuming MLC and STCW rest exceptions are identical.
- Failing to record rest hours accurately.
- Treating a signed rest-hour sheet as proof of actual rest.