‘Ray of Light’ amongst COVID-19 clouds
(Posted on 22/05/20)
The COVID-19 pandemic is creating significant challenges for ship operators and seafarers, but new research from the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has highlighted that, for users of its ISF Watchkeeper software, incidents of non-conformities continue to drop to increasingly lower levels over the past year.
The ICS software, which tracks over 25 million hours of work on board ships undertaken each month by seafarers, has identified that the rate of non-conformances reduced by 25% over the last 12-month period. The trends provide some good news that seafarers appear to still be able to manage shipboard working arrangements in accordance with IMO and ILO regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
ICS has been regularly monitoring global seafarer work and rest hour records through its ISF Watchkeeper compliance software, which was first launched to assist the industry in 1997. It is used on over 8,000 ships to provide their operators with evidence of compliance with the international regulations as required by their flag States and Port State Control. This is the first time that such aggregate data has been published by ICS and provides a ray of light during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Since the beginning of the year seafarers have been faced with significant challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the difficulty effecting crew changes only exacerbates this situation,” said Guy Platten, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping. “It is good to see that even with all the challenges, it appears that seafarers are still able to get the important rest that they need and the breaks they deserve to mitigate fatigue.
"These results confirm that the world’s shipping community continues to appreciate the importance of safe working practices and compliance, during what have been extremely challenging operating condition for all sectors, and for very many individuals.”
ISF Watchkeeper helps seafarers manage their hours of work and rest on board to ensure that ships can keep delivering the vital supplies we all rely on, without adding further to their burdens. These statistics are drawn from the online version of the software and represent input from 4,000 ships operating across the world.
Latest News
Caribbean states join together to call for fuel levy
(Posted on 01/10/24)Caribbean states have joined forces to ensure the views of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are... Read more
Columbia eyes Turkish Shipping for growth
(Posted on 01/10/24)The Turkish shipping market is one of the world’s most forward thinking when it comes to digitalisation... Read more
Metis joins RightShip’s Zero Harm Innovation Partners Programme
(Posted on 01/10/24)Metis has joined the RightShip Zero Harm Innovation Partners Programme. This partnership, which includes... Read more
INTERCARGO calls for simplicity in shipping decarbonisation measures
(Posted on 25/09/24)INTERCARGO, the International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners, has reaffirmed its commitment to... Read more
WISTA International counts down to milestone anniversary event
(Posted on 25/09/24)The Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA International) AGM and Conference... Read more
INTERCARGO proposals call on IMO to review Carbon Intensity Indicator
(Posted on 19/09/24)The International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners (INTERCARGO) has submitted proposals to the International... Read more
AtoB@C Shipping takes delivery of Aquamar
(Posted on 19/09/24)AtoB@C Shipping, a subsidiary of ESL Shipping, has on 17th September taken delivery of Aquamar, the... Read more
Lloyd's Register commissioned research reveals rapid rise of AI
(Posted on 19/09/24)In the past 12 months, the maritime AI market has seen an explosive expansion, nearly tripling in size... Read more
Weathernews and Lauritzen Bulkers sign new 3-year contract
(Posted on 12/09/24)Weathernews, a global leader in weather intelligence and maritime solutions, has to announced a new... Read more
Decrease in medical disembarkations thanks to proactive health measures
(Posted on 12/09/24)Columbia Shipmanagement (CSM), a member of the Columbia Group, is reporting a noticeable decrease in... Read more