UN to Review Seafarers' Work and Rest Rules
13.02.2025
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The International Labour Organisation intends to review seafarers' work and rest rules at the meeting of the Special Tripartite Committee of the Maritime Labour Convention in Geneva in April 2025.
The decision was taken after a detailed report found that seafarers were working far more hours than global standards, often in breach of mandatory rest periods. A 2022 World Maritime University (WMU) survey of seafarers found that maritime workers spend an average of 11.5 hours on duty per day, resulting in a 74.9-hour working week, which is significantly higher than the global average.
Despite of international regulations 28.1% of seafarers admitted to getting less than the required 10 hours of rest per day, which violates the rules on hours of rest. The study also found that it is common to sleep just 7 hours per day, raising serious concerns about fatigue.
78% of seafarers reported that they did not receive a single full day off during the entire duration of their contracts, which is in direct contravention of the spirit of the Maritime Labour Convention.
In addition 88.3% of respondents admitted that they exceed work and rest standards at least once a month, and 16.5% violate these standards more than ten times a month.
The proposal under discussion would create a secure online logbook system where the seafarers could confidentially record their actual working hours without fear of repercussions.
In addition to work and rest rules the MLC summit will focus on the following issues:
- Violence and harassment at sea
- Seafarer repatriation policy
- Shore leave rights
Labour policies at sea could become stricter after the ILO revises its rules leading to better working conditions for seafarers worldwide.
Source: marineinsight
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