Work & Rest Hours – Officer of the Watch

Problems and Best Practices for STCW Rest Periods

October 29, 2013 by Officer of the Watch Leave a Comment

The following article was initially published in SAFETY4SEA by Apostolos Belokas Managing Editor of SAFETY4SEA. In an effort to enhance fatigue management IMO has amended the “fitness for duty – hours of rest” requirements to provide watch keepers on-board ships with increased rest periods on the latest STCW Amendments in line with the ILO MLC. Despite the fact that over the last few years STCW latest amendments are in place and ILO MLC is being implemented as of 20 August 2013 a number of problems are being experienced.

Risk Assessing the Implementation of the New STCW

November 21, 2012 by Officer of the Watch 1 Comment

During the 3rd annual SAFETY4SEA forum held in Athens in October 2012, Apostolos Belokas, Managing Editor of SAFETY4SEA and Principal Consultant & CEO, SQE Marine Group, gave a very interesting speech on the implications of the requirements of the new STCW. Despite the fact that the new STCW has been accepted by a diplomatic conference in Manila back in June 2010, unfortunately many industry stakeholders are not aware of the implications of the new requirements and as a result they have not addressed their safeguards properly.