• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.83-90
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• 2022

About 90.5 % of barge-towing tugs weigh less than 200 gross tonnage and most are served by the master alone. They are also not subject to the regulations on the working hours and manning levels stipulated in the Seafarers' Act. Therefore, the master of barge-towing tugs cannot take sufficient rest during the navigational watch. Moreover, barge-towing tugs do not satisfy the human seaworthiness due to the inevitable performance of the navigational watch which must be alternately undertaken with an unqualified person, called the "Boatswain". Furthermore, there are many cases in which the master or owner of a tug fails to comply with the additionally required minimum manning levels stipulated in the Ship Of icers' Act when a tug tows a barge. This study reviews the following: (1) the regulations on the working hours and manning levels that are stipulated in the Seafarers' Act, (2) the regulations on the minimum manning levels for ship of icers of the tug's deck part that are stipulated in the Ship officers' Act, (3) marine accidents in the barge-towing tugs. As a result I suggested that one additional deck officer should be on board when a tug tows a barge through the revision of the minimum manning level for ship of icer on the deck part in order to prevent marine accidents of tugs effectively. Especially, the Act on the Punishment, etc. of the Serious Accident came into effect on January 27, 2022. If marine casualties occur continuously at sea due by the same cause, and the cause of such marine casualties would be turned out by the fatigue of the ship of icer caused by insufficient institutional arrangements, the administrator of competent Authorities of Maritime and Port could be punished, so it seems to prepare for it.