Fatigue and Sleepiness at Work in UK Ferry Workers

Introduction: Seafarers operate under the standard pressures associated with 24h shift working operations, compounded by the unpredictability of maritime environments, which require a high degree of flexibility. Existing research on maritime fatigue has primarily focused on military operations and long-distance shipping. By contrast the current work focuses on the UK ferry sector, a busy transport industry with ~37,000 ferry crossings annually, characterized by shorter trip (single time zone) voyages. The primary aim of this research is to examine the prevalence of fatigue among seafarers, analyze its safety implications, and assess employer awareness regarding this issue.