WMU: Seafarers need decent working time, not just compliance

May 28 ------ A new World Maritime University report warns that long working hours at sea remain deeply normalized, exposing a significant gap between regulatory compliance and the real protection of seafarers’ and fishers’ health, safety and rights.

The World Maritime University (WMU) has issued a report titled “Charting the distinct rights of sea workers in European waters: A focus on decent working time”, placing the spotlight on one of shipping’s most persistent human element challenges: working time at sea.

Published in January 2026, the report was authored by María Carrera-Arce, Raphael Baumler, Laura Carballo, and Bikram Singh Bhatia. WMU acknowledges the financial support of the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) for the research that informed the report, while also recognizing the contribution of maritime organizations and seafarers who participated in the study.

The report examines the position of sea workers, meaning seafarers and fishers, within European labor law and working-time regulations. Its central argument is that maritime workers continue to be treated differently from shore-based workers, often with lower levels of protection, despite their essential role in global trade, food security and maritime operations.

The study is structured around three core areas:

1. The legal position of sea workers in EU labor law, including how seafarers and fishers are treated under cross-sectoral and maritime-specific instruments.

2. Flag State working-time requirements, examining how EEA and selected non-EEA jurisdictions regulate and enforce working time.

3. A comparative analysis of working time, showing the gap between sea workers and other occupational groups, including land-based and mobile workers.

The report argues that shipping and fishing have historically developed as a “distinct society” governed by their own rules, and that this maritime exceptionalism has contributed to a weaker level of labor protection compared with shore-based sectors. "Working time is not only a labor issue. It is directly connected with fatigue, safety, decision-making, occupational health, mental wellbeing, retention and operational risk."

This is particularly important for ship managers because compliance with minimum requirements does not always mean that the crew has enough time, capacity or rest to operate safely. "The report makes clear that fatigue should not be treated as an individual failure, but as a structural issue linked to workload, manning, schedules, port operations and shore-based planning."

10 lessons to be learned from the report

1. Compliance is not the same as decent work

The report challenges the idea that meeting minimum work/rest-hour rules is enough. A vessel may be formally compliant, but still operate with workloads that are not sustainable for the crew.

2. Working time is a safety issue

Long hours affect alertness, judgement and performance. The report links working time with human factors, occupational safety, health and wellbeing, making it clear that fatigue management must be treated as part of safe ship operation.

3. Maritime workers remain treated differently

The report argues that sea workers are often excluded from, or only partially covered by, general labor protections applied ashore. This creates a gap between maritime labor standards and the broader social rights framework in Europe.

4. The flag State model has limits

Although flag States remain central to enforcement, the report suggests that enforcement is weakened by practical constraints, lack of resources and the complexity of modern maritime employment. In practice, this can leave workers with limited protection when rules are breached.

5. The flag of the vessel does not answer every labor question

For private employment disputes, the report notes that the flag State principle is no longer sufficient on its own. Questions such as applicable law, jurisdiction and access to justice are more complex, especially for mobile workers operating across jurisdictions.

6. Minimum safe manning may not reflect real workload

The report warns that companies may rely on minimum safe manning certificates to justify crewing levels, even when actual operations require more capacity. In some cases, compliant manning can still be insufficient for the real demands of the voyage, port calls, cargo work and inspections.

7. Compensatory rest should not become a workaround

Compensatory rest is intended to address exceptional situations, not to normalize recurring violations. The report stresses that predictable operational activities such as bunkering, vetting, pilotage, arrivals and departures should not be treated as unexpected events that justify routine fatigue.

8. Short-sea shipping needs particular attention

Frequent port calls, compressed schedules and operational intensity can make compliance more difficult. The report identifies short-sea operations as an area where fatigue risks may be especially acute.

9. Seafarers may be discouraged from reporting

The report notes that weak feedback mechanisms remain a problem. Seafarers may avoid formal complaints due to fear of retaliation, concerns about employment, or because overtime pay can create conflicting incentives.

10. Fatigue cannot be solved without addressing workload

Training, awareness campaigns and digital tools can help, but they cannot solve fatigue if crewing levels, voyage planning and commercial pressures remain unchanged. The report’s message is clear: decent working time must become a foundation of maritime safety and crew welfare.

What ship managers and maritime stakeholders need to consider

Ship managers should begin by treating working time as a core safety KPI, rather than simply a compliance requirement. Trends in rest-hour violations, near misses, overtime, port-call intensity and watchkeeping fatigue should be monitored closely and reviewed at management level, as they offer important signals about crew wellbeing and operational risk. At the same time, companies should review manning levels against the vessel’s actual operational demands. Minimum safe manning should be seen as the baseline, not the final answer. Crewing levels need to reflect the real workload onboard, including cargo operations, short voyages, inspections, reporting requirements, maintenance and the intensity of port calls.

Voyage and port-call planning should also be strengthened to identify fatigue hotspots before they occur. Shore teams need to assess tight turnaround times, back-to-back port calls and administrative workload in advance, ensuring that vessels receive additional support when operational pressure increases.

The routine use of compensatory rest should also be avoided. While compensatory rest may be necessary in exceptional cases, it should not become a structural workaround for repeated operational pressure. When rest-hour breaches occur regularly, the underlying causes should be investigated and addressed through better planning, manning or process improvements.

Creating safe reporting channels is another important step. Seafarers should be able to report fatigue, excessive workload and rest-hour pressure without fear of recrimination. Reporting systems must be trusted, confidential where needed, and linked to meaningful corrective action.

Ship managers should also audit overtime and workload honestly. Overtime should be examined to determine whether it reflects exceptional circumstances or deeper issues of under-resourcing. Unpaid overtime, excessive administrative tasks and the misuse of trainees or cadets should be treated as warning signs that require management attention.

Technology can support this process, but it should be used carefully. Digital tools can help monitor work/rest hours and fatigue risk in real time, but they should not become a box-ticking exercise. Their value lies in supporting better decisions on workload, crewing, voyage planning and operational support.

Fatigue should also be addressed beyond the ship. Charterers, terminals, agents and ports all influence schedules, turnaround times and workload. For this reason, maritime stakeholders should work together to reduce avoidable pressure on crews and support more realistic operational planning. When incidents occur, fatigue should be included in safety investigations. Investigators should examine whether working time, crewing levels, rest-hour pressure or workload contributed to the event. Fatigue should be treated as a system issue, not simply as individual error.

Overall, the report calls for a shift from minimum compliance to decent working time. Protecting sea workers requires more than proving that a vessel meets minimum rules. It requires ensuring that work at sea is organized in a way that respects human limits, supports wellbeing and safeguards safe operations.

Source: safety4sea.com