Law Commons^™

Merchant Vessel Crew Levels: An American Perspective, Douglas A. Nemeth

Theses and Major Papers

This paper, with an emphasis on policies of "effective manning," provides a critical appraisal on the issue of crew levels aboard large merchant vessels (those greater than 1,000 gross tons). Non-traditional approaches to crew organization and management are discussed. Special regard is made to addressing the various domestic and international laws, regulations, and conventions that pertain to ships' manning. The relationship between the seafarer and ships' safety is emphasized as it pertains to reduced crew size. It is argued that U.S. manning laws and regulations should be amended to permit not only smaller crews, but organizational changes aboard ship that …