Whether running a 50m charter yacht or a busy 30m private vessel, managing crew schedules in accordance with maritime labor regulations is more than good practice — it’s an essential component of legal compliance, audit readiness, and crew well-being.

The maritime industry has long recognized the link between fatigue and safety, which is why the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and class societies like Lloyd’s Register have formalized rules surrounding the hours of work and rest for crew onboard. These regulations are binding for most yachts operating under commercial flags, particularly those subject to MLC 2006 (Maritime Labour Convention) and ISM Code requirements.

In this post, we break down the essentials of hours of work and rest compliance, explore what’s required under IMO and class society rules, and explain how yachts can stay ahead of audits with digital solutions — including platforms now certified by Lloyd’s Register.

Understanding the Core Rules

The IMO sets the minimum global standards for crew hours through the STCW Convention and MLC 2006, which nearly all flag states have adopted and implemented. While minor variations may apply based on jurisdiction, the core requirements are:

Minimum rest:

• At least 10 hours of rest in any 24-hour period

• At least 77 hours of rest in any 7-day period

• Maximum work:

• No more than 14 hours of work in any 24-hour period

• No more than 72 hours of work in any 7-day period

Rest can be divided into no more than two periods, one of which must be at least 6 hours long, and the interval between periods of rest must not exceed 14 hours.

Yachts operating commercially — especially under LY3 code or those flagged under jurisdictions such as the Cayman Islands, Malta, Marshall Islands, or Isle of Man — must comply fully.

Compliance Isn’t Just About Checklists

Too often, hours of work and rest are treated as box-ticking exercises, where logs are updated retroactively or filled out without reflecting real-life crew fatigue. But in audits and inspections, accuracy and transparency are everything.

Flag inspectors, Port State Control officers, and auditors will look not only at logbooks but also at:

• Irregularities (rest logged as continuous across demanding charters)

• Inconsistent reporting across crew members

• Signs that logs were “completed” at the end of the week

• Overlapping duties (e.g. chef cooking during “rest hours”)

Failing to meet requirements can result in non-conformities, fines, or even detention of the vessel in port.

Lloyd’s Register & Hours Compliance

Aquator Marine’s Crew Management and Compliance Module — including its digital Hours of Work & Rest Tracker — is certified by Lloyd’s Register as compliant with MLC and IMO regulations.

This certification ensures that the logic used for tracking hours matches regulatory expectations for:

• Data integrity

• User accountability

• Time calculation rules

• Flag and port audit requirements

• Record-keeping and exportability

  
  

It also ensures that changes to crew logs are timestamped and traceable, giving yachts a transparent, verifiable history that stands up to inspection.

Benefits of a Digital Tracker

• For captains and managers, moving to a structured digital system offers major benefits:

• Prevention of non-compliance: The system warns users before they breach rest limits.

• Simplified weekly reviews: Easily export summaries for managers or flag inspectors.

• Multi-crew visibility: Compare, monitor, and cross-reference hours across departments.

• Crew ownership: Allow crew to track and submit their own hours, with supervisor approval.

• Standardized formats: Automatically generate reports that align with flag state formats.

  
  

Beyond compliance, digital systems promote healthier crew culture — ensuring that fatigue isn’t overlooked in pursuit of tight schedules or demanding guests.

The Reality Onboard

Managing hours of work and rest isn’t just about rules — it’s about managing the human side of yachting. During back-to-back charters or long delivery periods, crew often push themselves harder than they should.

A digital system can flag potential breaches before they happen, giving heads of department or captains a chance to rotate duties, bring in relief crew, or adjust schedules.

“It’s not about catching people out,” says one captain using a digital system. “It’s about making sure people don’t fall through the cracks. That’s when fatigue leads to mistakes — and those mistakes are what really cost you in yachting.”

Audits, Records & Port State Control

MLC inspections or ISM audits often request to see records from the past 3–6 months, including:

• All hours of work and rest by crew member

• Record of any non-conformities or breaches

• Explanation of deviations or exceptions (with master's approval)

• Evidence of corrective action

If you're using paper, maintaining this level of history — clean, legible, and without gaps — can be challenging. A digital system retains the full audit trail, makes the data exportable instantly, and eliminates transcription errors.

Final Thoughts

For many in the yachting industry, hours of work and rest remain one of the most overlooked risk areas — not because they’re unimportant, but because they’re administratively tedious.

With new tools, and with Lloyd’s Register certification now validating digital systems like Aquator Marine’s PMS and Crew Compliance modules, it’s easier than ever to meet regulatory requirements without burdening the crew.

Smart yachting is safe yachting — and in this case, compliance is not just paperwork, it’s a matter of health, safety, and professionalism. We’re excited to simplify Yacht Management for everyone, through our software, education, and community.

Team Aquator