An On-Board Study of Fatigue in Relation to Job Roles, Work Schedules and Roster Patterns in UK Ferry Workers

Introduction: Fatigue is prevalent among seafarers and is linked to an increased risk of accidents, as well as adverse effects on both their mental and physical health. Previous studies have identified significant differences in fatigue risk associated with varying work schedules and roster patterns. However, most research has focused on shipping, tanker, fishing, or naval vessels, leaving a gap in our understanding of how different shift schedules and weekly roster patterns affect ferry operations. In the ferry industry, shift patterns and rosters differ from those in other maritime sectors due to unique operational requirements. This study explores the relationship between roster patterns, work schedules, job roles, and fatigue among seafarers on board ferries in UK waters.

Methods: Sixty- three seafarers participated in this study during routine operations on ferry routes in and out of the UK. This exploratory study employed a mixed design, which enabled comparisons among participants with varying job roles, work schedules, and roster patterns. Over a period of approximately four weeks, each participant maintained a sleep/wake diary and wore a sleep and activity tracker to record sleep quantity, quality, and timing. In addition, daily subjective sleepiness was measured using the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale.

Results: Data from 914 working days were analyzed. Key findings indicated significant differences in sleep duration based on schedules and rosters. Participants working 12 hour split shift schedules had significantly shorter sleep durations than participants with other schedules and participants working 1 week on/1 week off rosters had significantly longer sleep durations than participants with other rosters. The average sleep duration was 7.1 hour, and sleep durations ≤ 5h were found in 7% of all working days. There were no significant differences between job roles, shifts, or rosters in sleep quality or max KSS rating during work shifts. One third of participants reported having to fight sleepiness monthly, and 14% reported this 2–3 times a week or more often. Approximately 24% of KSS ratings were 7 or higher, with 27% of work shifts having KSS≥7. Sleepiness increased with longer work hours across all groups, suggesting time on task related fatigue.

Conclusion: Most participants managed to have 6–8 hour of sleep per night and few suffered from chronic sleep restriction. However, a substantial proportion of work shifts was associated with high levels of fatigue. Split shifts were associated with short sleep durations and daytime sleepiness. There were relatively small differences between groups and the overall picture is that fatigue is a workplace hazard for all job roles, rosters and schedules. To mitigate the risk of sleepiness on duty, seafarers should be afforded sufficient time for sleep between work shifts and the opportunity for rest breaks during long shifts to mitigate task related fatigue. Support: The UK Department for Transport funded this research.

Publication History

Article published online:
08 October 2025