Which union does one have the ability to land a gig first or at a better rate of staying employed if one has a second mate unlimited tonnage license?
Coming into MMP with a 2nd Mate’s ticket definitely makes finding work easier at first, since you are coming in with a higher license than the recent graduates looking to cut their teeth on their first ship. Many a time I came to the hall as a new applicant 3M only to gawk at 2M jobs that I could not touch sitting there wide open for the taking…
As far as staying employed? Well… with rotary jobs as an applicant (or these days, even a C-Book) it can be rags to riches to rags again. You may find consistent work if you hit a very active hall like LA/Long Beach, Charleston or Norfolk and especially during summer months or the holiday season when many senior book members prefer time off.
I have NO idea what AMO is like, so my two cents end there.
Charleston, SC is an active Hall?
More so than Pompano or Boston which seem to only serve the members of that geographic area as a place to file vacation and clear.
Charleston gets its fair share of work
Charleston and Norfolk have both been good halls lately.
Anybody know whether AMO, or MMP have government contract jobs? I know AMO has a few. I ask because I have a security clearance, 2nd Mate License, Tankerman PIC and would like to transition to union work.
MMP still has the contract for eight Watson Class LMSR’s.
We had a wide open 2nd Mate job on the PAX, a tanker under government contract. It was sitting on the board for a long time in NJ, may even still be there.
AMO also has a bunch of government vessel jobs, pick your union.
You have a 2M Unlimited, a Tankerman PIC and a security clearance? The holy trinity of maritime employment. MMP is the way for you my friend. Get in touch with SLNC while you’re at it