How should STCW and MLC rest hours be tracked?

Rest-hour tracking is not only about totals. Records must reflect actual work patterns, expose violations and support corrective action.

A table signed at month-end is not enough.

Rest records should align with actual work and watch patterns. Drills, port operations, defects or call-outs that affect rest should appear in the record and potential violations should surface early.

Digital tracking helps review rolling 24-hour and seven-day windows, assign violations and record mitigation. Final application must be verified against flag, company and agreement requirements.

Scope and core capabilities

Daily hour record

Record work and rest periods using actual time intervals during the day.

Rolling-window checks

Apply checks to rolling 24-hour and seven-day periods, not only calendar days.

Violation visibility

Show insufficient rest by person, day, watch and related operational event.

Explanation and action

Record reason, master review and mitigation for an exception or violation.

Approval trail

Retain review or approval time for the seafarer and authorized officer.

Inspection report

Present records and violations for a selected period in a consistent format.

Workflow

  1. Define watches: Planned work patterns are created by person and rank.
  2. Record actual hours: Daily work and exceptions are entered with actual times.
  3. Review violations: The system shows potential violations for authorized review.
  4. Document action: Mitigation and approval are retained with the record.

Operational outcomes

  • See violations when they occur, not only at month-end.
  • Track differences between planned watches and actual work.
  • Produce consistent and explainable records for inspection.
  • Make fatigue risk visible in operational planning.

Frequently asked questions

Can the 10 hours of rest be divided?

Applicable split and uninterrupted-period requirements must be verified against current STCW/MLC text, flag and company procedures. The system can support configured rules.

Do drills affect rest records?

If actual work or call-outs affect rest, they should appear in the record with explanation and compensatory action under company procedure.

Who approves the records?

Approval responsibility follows vessel roles and company procedure, with separate acknowledgement trails for seafarer and authorized officer.

Is this guide legal advice?

No. It is general information. Current agreement, flag, MLC and STCW requirements must be verified through qualified sources.