16 Working Hours
16.1 References to a person being on duty are references—
.1 in the case of a master who has command of a vessel in the course of his employment, to being on duty, whether for the purpose of having the command of a vessel to which this Chapter applies or for other purposes, in the employment of the person who employs him in that employment or in any other employment under that person; and
.2 in the case of a master who has command of a vessel for the purposes of a trade or business carried on by him, to having command of a vessel to which this Chapter applies for the purposes of that trade or business or being otherwise engaged in work for the purposes of that trade or business, being work in connection with such a vessel or the passengers carried by it.
16.2 A master shall so far as is reasonably practicable ensure that he or she is properly rested when first going on duty on any working day.
16.3 Subject to IX/16.7, the working day of a master shall not exceed 16 hours.
16.4 Subject to IX/16.7, a master shall not on any working day con a vessel or vessels to which the Code applies for periods amounting in the aggregate to more than 10 hours.
16.5 Subject to IX/16.7, where on any working day a master has been on duty—
.1 for a period of 6 hours and the end of that period does not mark the end of the working day; or
.2 for periods amounting in the aggregate to 6 hours and there has not been between any of those periods an interval of not less than 30 minutes in which the master was able to obtain rest and refreshment and the end of the last of those periods does not mark the end of the working day,
there shall be an interval for rest—
.1 as respects the period mentioned in.1 above, at the end of that period; or
.2 in the case of the periods mentioned in.2 above, at the end of the last of those periods.
16.6 Subject to IX/16.7 there shall be, between any two successive working days of a master, an interval for rest which shall not be of less than 8 hours; and, in the case of a master who has command of a vessel in the course of his employment, a period of time shall not be treated as not being an interval for rest by reason only that he may be called upon to report for duty if required.
16.7 Where the Administration considers that it would be appropriate to grant an exemption from all or any of the requirements of IX/16.3 to IX/16.6, it may on such terms, if any, as maybe specified grant such an exemption; and, subject to giving reasonable notice, the Administration may alter or cancel an exemption so granted.
16.8 The provisions of IX/16.3 to 16.6 apply to vessels operating in protected and coastal waters. The working hours of seafarers on vessels operating in exposed waters shall be determined by the relevant provisions of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978 as amended.