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MLC 2006 · STCW

MLC and STCW rest hours: the rules, how to check them and a free calculator

Rest hours are checked by PSC, by every vetting inspector and by your own company. The rules are short, but they apply to rolling windows — any 24 hours, any 7 days — which is where most records go wrong. Here are the rules in plain words, a worked example and the mistakes inspectors look for.

Updated 7 October 2026 · Written by SeaReady in our own words. Not affiliated with OCIMF, RightShip, CDI, any MoU or any administration — always check the current official documents.

The four rules

STCW Code A-VIII/1 and MLC 2006 Standard A2.3. A day with no entry is missing data — never assume it was compliant.
RuleMinimum or maximum
Rest in any 24 hoursAt least 10 hours
Rest in any 7 daysAt least 77 hours
Splitting the daily restNo more than 2 periods, one at least 6 hours
Gap between rest periodsNo more than 14 hours

Rolling windows: a worked example

An officer’s record over two days, with a night arrival:

DayRestWorkRest that day
Day 10000–0600 and 1800–24000600–180012 hours
Day 20000–0200 and 1400–24000200–1400 (arrival, then cargo)12 hours

Each calendar day shows 12 hours of rest. But in the 24 hours from 1400 on day 1 to 1400 on day 2 there are only 8 hours of rest (1800 to 0200) — a breach of the 10-hour rule. A spreadsheet that totals each day would never show it. Every possible 24-hour and 7-day window has to be checked.

The STCW exception (A-VIII/1 para 9)

  • The 7-day minimum can drop from 77 to 70 hours.
  • Rest may be split into up to 3 periods — one at least 6 hours, the others at least 1 hour — in no more than two 24-hour periods in any 7 days.
  • Exceptions to the weekly rest may not run for more than two consecutive weeks.
  • The interval between two periods of exception must be at least twice the length of the exception before it.
  • Only where the flag allows it — under MLC this usually needs a collective agreement.

What inspectors look for

  • Records that are too perfect — the same hours every day through port calls and drills.
  • Records that do not match the deck log, engine log, cargo log or overtime sheets.
  • Breaches across midnight on arrival and departure days.
  • Unsigned records, or records completed weeks later.
  • Interview answers that do not match the record — “describe your last port call hour by hour” (see SIRE 2.0 questions by rank).

An honest record that shows a breach, with the reason and the action taken, is far better than an impossible one.

Keeping a clean record in port

  • Plan the port call watch by watch before arrival — who rests when cargo, bunkers and stores overlap.
  • Hold drills when they disturb rest least, and give compensatory rest when someone on call is woken.
  • Write the record every day, not at the end of the week.

Questions seafarers ask

What are the minimum rest hours for seafarers?

At least 10 hours of rest in any 24-hour period and at least 77 hours in any 7-day period. The 10 hours may be split into no more than two periods, one of which must be at least 6 hours long, and the gap between consecutive rest periods must not exceed 14 hours.

Are rest hours counted per calendar day?

No. The rules apply to ANY 24 hours and ANY 7 days — rolling windows. A record can look fine day by day and still break the rule across midnight, for example after a night arrival followed by an early start.

What is the STCW exception to the 77-hour rule?

STCW A-VIII/1 paragraph 9 lets a flag allow the weekly minimum to drop to 70 hours, for no more than two consecutive weeks, with the gap between two periods of exception at least twice the length of the exception. Rest may then be split into up to three periods (one of at least 6 hours, the others at least 1 hour) in no more than two 24-hour periods in any 7 days. Under MLC it generally needs a collective agreement — check your flag.

Do drills break rest hours?

Musters and fire-fighting and lifeboat drills should be held in a way that disturbs rest as little as possible. If someone on call is woken to work during their rest, they should get adequate compensatory rest.

Check your rest hours automatically

SeaReady’s rest-hours planner checks every rolling 24-hour and 7-day window, handles clock changes and the STCW exception, and prints a record. Your own record is free; the whole crew’s needs a ship licence.

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