Marítimo y transporte naval · Estados Unidos

El sueño y la fatiga en marítimo y transporte naval

Seafarers stand watch systems such as six-on/six-off for weeks at a time, with broken sleep, noise and motion. Fatigue on watch raises the risk of grounding, collision and injury.

Cambio previsto: oct 2027

Fuerza laboral de Marítimo y transporte naval

A quién cubre esta página

  • Coastal and domestic commercial vessels
  • Commercial fishing
  • Cruise lines
  • Dredging
  • Ferries and passenger vessels
  • Marine pilots, tugs and towage
  • Offshore supply and construction vessels (vea también Petróleo y gas)
  • Shipping lines - deep sea

Cambios normativos

Qué ha cambiado y qué viene

Cambios normativos que afectan la forma en que gestiona la fatiga en marítimo y transporte naval: lo que cambió en los últimos 12 meses y lo que está por venir.

El detalle normativo y de investigación de esta página se muestra en inglés.

Próximo cambioPrevisto a partir de octubre de 2027En los próximos 12 meses

OSHA's heat injury and illness standard, proposed August 2024 and covering shipyard and other maritime work, is still a proposal: a supplemental proposal is projected for December 2026 and final action for October 2027. No Coast Guard change to hours of rest is proposed.

Cambios normativos revisados al 1 de octubre de 2026.

Regulación

Quién la regula y qué espera

El detalle normativo y de investigación de esta página se muestra en inglés.

Maritime is one of very few US industries with a numeric, legally binding rest requirement - enforced by the Coast Guard, not OSHA. Watchkeeping officers, watch ratings and crew with designated safety or security duties on seagoing vessels beyond the boundary line have minimum rest hours under the STCW rules. Separately, work-hour and watch limits in the shipping statute bind towing vessel operators and crews on larger merchant vessels. Fishing vessels, barges, inland-waters vessels and vessels under 200 gross tons fall outside the STCW rest rules altogether.

Regulado por
  • United States Coast GuardUSCG

Los logotipos identifican al regulador y no implican respaldo.

Quién la regula

The US Coast Guard, not OSHA, is the primary safety regulator for vessels and seafarers - including rest-hour rules. OSHA's reach is largely limited to shoreside terminals and offices. Injury compensation runs through the federal Jones Act and Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act rather than state workers' comp.

Sus obligaciones

On seagoing vessels beyond the boundary line, covered personnel must get at least 10 hours rest in any 24 and 77 hours in any 7 days, in no more than two blocks with one of at least 6 hours and no more than 14 hours between them, with daily rest records kept aboard and copied to each crew member. A licensed towing vessel operator may not work more than 12 hours in any 24 except in an emergency. Licensed officers, sailors and oilers on merchant vessels over 100 gross tons must be in at least three watches at sea. On tankers the limit is 15 hours in 24.

Consecuencias

Coast Guard civil penalties for watch and manning violations run to $23,647 per violation, and vessel inspection violations to $14,988, on the schedule applying to assessments issued after 29 December 2025. Rest-hour breaches are cited at inspection and at Port State Control and can put a certificate of inspection at risk. The larger exposure is civil: under the Jones Act an injured seafarer brings an uncapped negligence claim, and a rest record showing hours that were available but not slept is the document the plaintiff will use.

Sanciones

Coast Guard civil penalty maximums: $23,647 per violation for watch and manning breaches under 46 U.S.C. 8104(i) and (j) and 8101(f); $14,988 for vessel inspection violations under 46 U.S.C. 3318(a). Applies to assessments issued after 29 December 2025.

Fuentes: US Coast Guard hours-of-rest rule (46 CFR 15.1111); federal watch and 12-hour rules (46 U.S.C. 8104); Coast Guard civil penalty schedule (33 CFR 27.3); the Jones Act; Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act; NTSB report on the Elliot Cheramie.

Puestos críticos por fatiga

Dónde más importa la fatiga en marítimo y transporte naval

Los puestos en los que un trabajador fatigado tiene más probabilidades de causar daños graves, las tareas que conllevan el riesgo y por qué se acumula la fatiga.

El detalle normativo y de investigación de esta página se muestra en inglés.

PuestoRiesgoTareas de alto riesgoPor qué se acumula la fatiga
Mate (licensed deck officer)
Reglas
Designación normativa
Officer in charge of a navigational watch (46 CFR 15.1111); credentialed mariner (46 CFR Part 10)
Horas y descanso
46 CFR 15.1111: 10 h rest in any 24 h and 77 h in any 7 days; at most 2 periods, one of at least 6 h; 46 U.S.C. 8104(a): 6 h off in the prior 12 before taking the deck watch on leaving port
Riesgo críticoKeeping a bridge watch alone in the 00:00-04:00 or 04:00-08:00 watch; collision avoidance in coastal traffic; port arrival straight after cargo work6-on/6-off or 4-on/8-off watches, port-call cargo work eating rest, time-zone changes, months-long tours
Assistant engineer (licensed engineer)
Reglas
Designación normativa
Credentialed mariner (46 CFR Part 10); watchstander (46 CFR 15.1111)
Horas y descanso
46 CFR 15.1111 (beyond the boundary line): 10 h rest in any 24 h and 77 h in any 7 days; at most 2 periods, one of at least 6 h; 46 U.S.C. 8104 watch rules
Riesgo críticoUnmanned machinery space on-call alarm response at night; engine-room watch; bunkering, fuel changeover and blackout recovery after broken sleepUMS on-call nights with repeated alarms, port maintenance during rest periods, heat and noise
State pilot / bar pilot
Reglas
Designación normativa
State-licensed pilot (state pilotage commission); federal first-class pilot endorsement (46 CFR Part 11)
Horas y descanso
State commission rest rules where they exist; no federal hours rule for state pilots
Riesgo críticoConning large ships through pilotage waters at night; boarding by pilot ladder in swell; back-to-back jobs and long coastal pilotages24/7 on-call job lists, night jobs, long transits and travel between jobs, irregular rest
Towing vessel operator (master / mate - pilot of towing vessels)
Reglas
Designación normativa
Credentialed towing-vessel officer (46 CFR Part 10; Subchapter M)
Horas y descanso
46 U.S.C. 8104(h): no more than 12 h work in 24 except in an emergency; two-watch allowed (8104(g))
Riesgo críticoShip-assist and harbor towage at night on short notice; towline handling near girting risk; coastal barge towing on two-watch systemsOn-call 24 h harbor rosters, two-watch towing (6-on/6-off), back-to-back jobs
Master / operator (passenger vessel); fishing vessel captain
Reglas
Designación normativa
Credentialed mariner (46 CFR Part 10); fishing vessel operator (46 CFR Part 28)
Horas y descanso
46 U.S.C. 8104(b): vessels of 100 GT or less 9 h/24 in port, 12 h/24 at sea; fishing largely exempt
Riesgo críticoSkippering a ferry or workboat with minimum crew on long days; night fishing then steaming home after hauling; lone watch on small vesselsLong seasonal days, early starts, split shifts on commuter ferries, multi-day trips with fragmented sleep
Able seaman (AB) / ordinary seaman on watch
Reglas
Designación normativa
Rating forming part of a navigational watch (46 CFR 15.1111); credentialed mariner
Horas y descanso
46 CFR 15.1111 (beyond the boundary line): 10 h rest in any 24 h and 77 h in any 7 days; at most 2 periods, one of at least 6 h; 46 U.S.C. 8104 watch rules
Riesgo altoLookout and helm on night watches; mooring and anchor work during port calls that cut into rest; fire roundsWatch rotations, port-call work in rest periods, long tours

Casos

Cuando la fatiga quedó registrada

Hallazgos y procesos publicados por reguladores, tribunales e investigadores en Estados Unidos.

El detalle normativo y de investigación de esta página se muestra en inglés.

  • sept 2024 · Washington, United States

    Captain working while ill with COVID-19 falls asleep at the helm; towboat hits coast guard docks

    • Seguridad
    • Financiero

    Shortly after midday a towing vessel veered out of a marked channel and struck the docks of a coast guard station, causing about $750,000 in damage and a small diesel spill. The National Transportation Safety Board found the captain had fallen asleep while navigating, likely because of increased fatigue from an acute COVID-19 infection that degraded his sleep quality, even though he reported getting enough sleep. He had felt unwell the night before and taken unprescribed medication, and was diagnosed with COVID-19 and a partial lung collapse later that day.

    Caso US-maritime-09Informar de un error

Caso 1 de 23

Ver todas las noticias de marítimo y transporte naval

Cómo encaja la suite

Cómo se vincula cada producto con sus obligaciones

Las calificaciones describen con qué fuerza se vincula un producto a una obligación. Ninguno cumple por usted una obligación y ninguno conlleva una garantía de cumplimiento.

El detalle normativo y de investigación de esta página se muestra en inglés.

Sleepfit

Apoya su deber general de cuidado

Sleepfit supports what the rest-hour rules cannot reach: what crew actually sleep in the hours the schedule gave them. Rest records show opportunity; only measurement shows sleep obtained.

Acerca de Sleepfit

Fatiguefit4Duty

Apoya su deber general de cuidado

No US maritime rule requires a fitness check at the point of work; 46 CFR 15.1111 governs rest hours. Fatiguefit4Duty supports the record that a master acted on a fatigued watchstander. A fitness-for-duty check, not a fitness-for-duty decision - the duty call stays with you.

Acerca de Fatiguefit4Duty

Awareness eLearning

Apoya su deber general de cuidado

No US maritime rule names fatigue training; STCW and 46 CFR training requirements do not reach it. Awareness eLearning supplies fatigue and sleep content with a completion record for masters, mates and watch officers.

Acerca de Awareness eLearning

Was It Fatigue?

Apoya su deber general de cuidado

Marine casualties must be reported under 46 CFR Part 4, and no rule names fatigue as something you must examine. Was It Fatigue? supports your investigation and the record a Jones Act claim will test. A structured judgment aid, not a determination of cause.

Acerca de Was It Fatigue?

SleepWellBaby

SleepWellBaby is a voluntary benefit with no Coast Guard requirement behind it. It supports crew with infants at home during shore rotations, when recovery sleep is meant to happen.

Acerca de SleepWellBaby

Paquete recomendado

Por dónde empezaríamos en marítimo y transporte naval

Cada paquete tiene precio según la prevalencia: toda su cohorte obtiene acceso, y usted paga por la proporción que se prevé que necesite cada producto. Cómo funcionan los precios.

Por qué esta combinación en Estados Unidos

46 CFR 15.1111 sets rest hours, which show opportunity, not sleep. Sleepfit measures sleep obtained; Fatiguefit4Duty adds a pre-watch check and a record that the master acted; Awareness eLearning trains watchkeepers. Fatigue Lifecycle adds review of Part 4 casualties.

Vea lo que el sueño y la fatiga significan para su fuerza laboral en marítimo y transporte naval.

Indíquenos aproximadamente cuántas personas emplea. Su panorama estima cuántas probablemente duermen mal y cuánto cuesta, a partir de investigaciones publicadas sobre marítimo y transporte naval. Luego elija a quién cubrir y le llevaremos al siguiente paso adecuado.

Un ejemplo de instantánea de la fuerza laboral en una tableta: problemas de sueño modelados y el costo del sueño deficiente para 1.400 personas en transporte y logística.