Rest days are scheduled for loading and unloading cargo, with layover time specified in shipping contracts. Crews plan ahead and work quickly to avoid penalties or earn bonuses. Safety is crucial during chaotic off days, and exceeding layover time can result in fines or demurrage fees.
A rest day is a day set aside in a ship’s schedule for loading and unloading cargo. With oversized loads, cargo handling can require several days of layover. A shipping contract will stipulate the laying time, the time the owner expects loading and unloading to consume, and carriers could be penalized for exceeding or rewarded for unloading and loading more quickly. Ports can also specify dwell time, charging fines if vessels exceed their allotted time in port.
A day off officially begins with a certificate indicating that a vessel is ready to load or unload. Usually the crew plans ahead, so they have a strategy and can start work as soon as they get permission to do so. Using cranes and other tools on and off the vessel, the crew can load cargo, stowing it as they do so to secure it in the hold. It can also unload cargo at a dock for transfer to another location.
Shippers can look at rest days in several ways. Current days include consecutive days regardless of weather, holidays and other concerns; a ship may have three consecutive days to unload in port, for example. Non-working days include all conventional working days in the port of call, excluding weekends and public holidays. Weather days are any day when the weather is good enough to handle the load safely.
On an off day, the environment on a ship can be chaotic. Crew members work hard to process cargo quickly, efficiently and safely. Non-essential personnel are generally advised to stay clear of the vessel, with the aim of preventing injuries and accidents. All crew members and dock workers assisting during the loading process need proper training to work with cargo. Cranes and hoists can be dangerous and communication is key to making sure everyone is following basic safety procedures. Crews typically look out for each other so that safety hazards can be identified and responded to promptly.
If a vessel finishes layover a day early, a bonus may be available to the captain and crew to reward them for efficiency. This will be discussed in the contract for the cargo. Exceeding day rest clauses will result in demurrage fees, where fines are expected for holding the vessel longer than expected to load or unload cargo. For ports, these fees also serve as a penalty for ships staying too long. Ports plan the use of their facilities carefully and a ship that comes to rest can mean that other vessels have to wait outside the port for a gap to open up.
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