Challenges and Issues Encountered by Maritime Students in Implementing Labour Convention 2006 Regulation 2.3 During Shipboard Training

Insufficient rest and sleep for seafarers has been a major concern as it may lead to mistakesand accidents on-board. This study seeks to determine the challenges and issues that the cadets encounteredduring their shipboard training regarding the implementation of Maritime Labour Convention 2006Regulation 2.3 (MLC 2006 Reg. 2.3) which provides for the maximum number of work hours or minimumnumber of rest hours for a given period of time for all seafarers. The research utilized the descriptivequantitative research design with questionnaire as the main data gathering technique. Data showed thatthe respondents are aware of the pertinent provisions of MLC 2006 Reg. 2.3. The respondents indicate that all of the three shipping companies-Norwegian, Greek and Asian, “always” implement the law but the Norwegian Shipping Company has the highest mean on the Implementation of Work and Rest Hours. Further, the respondents revealed that the challenges they have encountered with regards to work and rest hours include: non-compensation of overtime rendered, not following the table of ship boarding arrangement, and limited manpower which propels cadets to render overtime. Moreover, most of the respondents said that the main effect of not having sufficient rest hours is inefficiency at work. It is recommended that the Department of Shipboard Training must strictly monitor the ship board training conditions of the cadets on the proper implementation of the law to ensure the high performance of cadet son-board. The study serves as an eye-opener for the Maritime Higher Education Institutions and the shipping industry regarding the actual implementation and compliance to MLC 2006 Reg.2.3.

Keywords – maritime law, Maritime Labor Convention, shipboard training, Philippines