The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and IT Energy have announced the launch of the latest release of their acclaimed ISF Watchkeeper software – ISF Watchkeeper 3.5 – developed for maintaining records of individual seafarers’ work hour records, as required by IMO and ILO regulations, and to help prevent crew fatigue and to avoid issues with Port State Control.

This major upgrade, which is available free of charge to existing ISF Watchkeeper users on over 8, 000 ships worldwide, has been designed to reflect the evolving needs of those at sea and managers ashore.

ISF Watchkeeper 3.5 offers a new working schedule planning tool; a unique means of taking account of international dateline crossings; non-conformance activity capture; multi-language key reports and STCW 2010 ‘Manila Exceptions’ calculation improvements.

“ISF Watchkeeper was originally developed almost 20 years ago using the special knowledge ICS gained from representing the industry during the development by IMO and ILO of what are very complex seafarers’ work hour regulations. In collaboration with the expertise of IT Energy, ICS is committed to the continuous improvement of a product that remains the original and the best,” says Simon Bennett, Director, Policy and External Relations, at ICS.

”ISF Watchkeeper 3.5 has been designed to create an enhanced user experience“, says Michael Papageorge, Managing Director, at IT Energy. “It is now more

effective than ever at taking care of the full range of on board requirements for demonstrating compliance with crew work and rest hour regulations.”

As part of the update, substantial improvements have also been made to Watchkeeper Online, the sister product designed to support shore based personnel. Reports now run many times faster, analysis capabilities are continually being added and the new working schedule report from ISF Watchkeeper 3.5 can be rapidly uploaded to Watchkeeper Online. API data integration has been improved and overtime timesheet record reports can now be created.

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) is the principal international trade association for shipowners and operators, concerned with all technical, legal employment affairs and policy issues that may affect international shipping. ICS membership comprises national shipowners’ associations in Asia, Europe and the Americas whose member shipping companies operate over 80% of the world’s merchant tonnage.

The International Shipping Federation (ISF) is the identity used by the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) when acting as the international employer’s organisation for ship operators.

IT Energy is a software development company with particular expertise in data management and data security, working extensively with security sensitive organisations in the oil and shipping industries. A well-known developer of custom and off-the-shelf solutions for the Energy and Shipping sectors.

Source: The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS)