​In this casualty, and as we have previously noted in numerous commercial vessel casualties, crew fatigue was a significant causal and contributing factor. Company operational policies and requirements should incorporate and follow fatigue management best practices to ensure that crewmembers receive enough rest to adequately perform navigational, lookout, engineering, and other watch stander duties. Such policies should include the maximum hours (both duty hours and off-watch work) crewmembers are allowed to work in a consecutive 24-hour period, except in an emergency. Additionally, companies should ensure that vessels are crewed with the appropriate number of trained personnel to safely perform operations without compromising the work/rest schedules of off-duty watchstanders. Companies and vessel captains should also actively monitor the watch schedules and any off-watch work performed by their crews to ensure that fatigue mitigation policies are adhered to, adjusting watch schedules accordingly for crewmembers at risk for fatigue.​