Freight drivers are legally required to take a certain number of rest hours every day. 

But how do ferry journeys impact drivers’ rest periods? In this article, we’ll cover the latest UK and EU government legislation. 

Resting on Ferries - GB Regulations

In GB, there isn’t much official guidance concerning how ferries can impact drivers’ rest periods, perhaps due in part to the geography of Great Britain (domestic ferry journeys are rarely more than a couple of hours). 

Despite this, there are still mandatory drivers’ rest rules which must be correctly observed. 

In GB, it is a legal requirement that drivers must take their full rest period - of 11 hours - every day. This means that ferry interruptions must be accounted for within the driver’s rest period. 

So, if a driver takes a 30-minute break during his rest period for boarding the ferry, and another 30 minutes for disembarking, then this 1 hour of rest will need to be accounted for, and the driver would need to rest for an additional 1 hour (or 12 hours total). 

(Please note that there can be no more than 2 interruptions for a driver’s rest period, and both interruptions together must amount to no more than one hour.)

However, in the EU, the regulations surrounding drivers’ hours and rest on ferries are slightly more complicated. 

Resting on Ferries - EU Rules

In the EU, drivers are entitled to 11 hours of daily rest. Unlike GB, the EU allows for this rest to be taken either as one 11-hour period, or in two parts - a 3-hour rest period and a 9-hour rest period. 

The amount of rest that drivers can take onboard the ferry will depend on the amount of rest taken before or after the ferry journey, and the duration of the ferry journey. 

For example, if the driver takes a 3-hour rest period prior to their ferry journey, they may take their 9-hour rest period during the ferry journey, or vice versa, so long as all rest is within the same 24-hour period. 

If the driver is taking one 11-hour long rest period instead, there should be no more than 12 hours between the start of your shift and arrival at the port. This is so that an 11-hour rest can be taken onboard the ferry, during which time the driver must have access to a cabin or bunk. 

If there are no cabins or bunks available, then this time will not be counted as a break. 

Interrupted Rest

As mentioned above, drivers in the EU can choose to take an 11-hour rest period or a 9 and 3-hour rest period (within a 24-hour period of working). 

According to EU legislation, a driver’s rest may be interrupted (for example, during the loading or disembarkment of the ferry) for a maximum of 1 hour in total, during a maximum of 2 separate interruptions. 

If the driver is taking their rest in two separate periods (a 9-hour and a 3-hour) then both interruptions must occur during the same rest period.  

If rest is interrupted in the EU, drivers are not legally entitled to add more time onto their rest periods to make up for the lost hour. So, if a driver rests for 3 hours prior to the ferry journey, and 9 hours during the journey, but their rest is interrupted twice on the ferry, they are not entitled to any additional rest hours. 

Travelling with more than one driver?

If more than one driver is travelling, then the rules will vary slightly. For crews with two or more members, 9 hours is considered a sufficient amount of daily rest, as opposed to 11 hours for single drivers. 

Rest for drivers - GB vs. EU

Both territories (GB and the EU) allow for a maximum of 2 disruptions to drivers’ rest periods. 

However, the major difference in regulations is that in the EU, the regular daily rest of 11 hours can be interrupted for a maximum of two periods (1 hour in total) - typically for boarding or disembarking the ferry.

Meanwhile, GB regulations insist that the full 11-hour rest period must be taken, and time lost to interruptions must be recuperated. 

Drivers must follow the regulations of the territory they are in.

For more information about drivers’ rest periods, visit the official Drivers’ Hours guide on the UK Gov website.

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