Split rest 6h/14h explained
Split rest is the hidden breach on many scheduled passenger services. It belongs under passenger vessel rest-hour compliance, not as a product of its own.
Quick Answer
Under the main rule, daily rest may be divided into no more than two periods if one period is at least 6 continuous hours and the interval between consecutive rest periods does not exceed 14 hours. Morning-and-evening split shifts around peak departures are where this interval is tested. Applicable exceptions must be assessed separately.
Official Sources
- Sjøfartsdirektoratet: Arbeids- og hviletid for sjøfolk — Norwegian Maritime Authority guidance on work and rest hours for seafarers.
- STCW Code Section A-VIII/1: Fitness for duty — Official Norwegian publication of the STCW fitness-for-duty rest requirements.
- Ship Safety and Security Act (LOV-2007-02-16-9) — Section 24 sets the Norwegian minimum rest hours of 10h/24h and 77h/168h.
- ILO Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC) — Standard A2.3 covers maximum work hours and minimum rest hours.
Why it matters onboard
A morning block and an evening block can look harmless. The person is “off” in the middle of the day. The interval between the end of one rest and the start of the next quietly exceeds 14 hours. That pattern is common on ferries and tour boats built around commuter and sightseeing peaks.
How it is documented
The Ship Safety and Security Act section 24 sets the 6h/14h structure for split daily rest, in line with STCW A-VIII/1 fitness-for-duty rest. The rest record must show the actual periods, not a roster that assumes a lunch break counts as rest if the person was still on duty or travelling between vessels.
Keep those periods in a digital rest-hour logbook so the interval can be measured from clock times.
What operators need to consider
When building a split day, check three things together: at least 10 hours rest in any applicable 24-hour period, one rest period of at least 6 continuous hours, and no more than 14 hours between consecutive rest periods. Cover watches and vessel changes are where the interval slips. Applicable legal exceptions need separate assessment.
How MarRest handles it
MarRest presents split-rest as its own review type in monthly reports, separate from the 24-hour and 168-hour results. Its analysis bridges gaps under one hour and also gaps under six hours, and checks selected checkpoints rather than every possible endpoint. It does not model legal exceptions, certify compliance, or lock clock-in. Captains must review the result in context before account sign-off.