Not harbor Tugs on gov contracts
Seems like OSV/ tugboat wages plateaued a long while ago. Definately no hiring frenzy either.
From what I’ve been hearing from my network regarding tugs, the smaller companies with junker equipment doing dredging/construction work are often times paying better than the bigger top tier companies moving oil and such. Experienced masters and mates of tow are in high demand.
Wages are definitely up this year in the PNW and Alaska. Most companies are in the general area of $1000.
I saw a Centerline ad somewhere a couple weeks ago. The top end of the Master day rate was something like $935.
Seemingly deep sea if I’m honest.
The oilfield money of 2008-2014ish has completely been stagnated. The M&A activity in offshore drilling has left the industry with only 3.5 (Valaris, Noble, Transocean, Seadril (.5)) left to work for.
Essentially there’s zero competition for employees and no movement between companies. Back in 2000 there was a lawsuit in regards to wage fixing and honestly at this point I wouldn’t be completely shocked if it was happening now. If you read the results of that case it seems like the exact same scenario is currently playing out. Offshore workers are getting screwed while the executive pay has been going up consistently.
Noble just bought Diamond last year and all the deck and engine officers got around 7% paycuts to bring us down to Noble’s pay scale.
Other positions got hit a lot worse than marine personnel with some people getting upwards of 20% cuts. Impressive for a company that paid out as much as they do in dividends and stock buy backs.
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Agreed… Drilling is definitely stagnate.
AMO and MEBA seem to be where the work is these days. Alaska pays well but you must commit to a “season”. I am not too familiar with the GOM workboat world maybe someone can chime in on the economics there… Dredging pays well and for some a “double dip” situation if you have worked for the federal government before. Example: Army Corps of Engineers. However, the dredge world pays better in the private sector. The good news is there seems to be plenty of work everywhere. There is a definite shortage of licensed and unlicensed mariners at the present time.
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There is No shortage of mariners. There just isn’t a big glut of mariners begging for jobs like there used to be.
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I’d stay away from all OSV companies in the GOM. No annual pay increases. Last pay adjustment was a few years ago. Most companies cutting 401 match and reducing other benefits.
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That was my experience in the GOM osv world. Looking back it looks like a trap due to pay, knowledge base and working area. The OSV companies know how to manipulate their personnel. I went to inland towing and it’s like a veil was lifted showing me what the real world actually is.
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That’s why I tell anyone who’ll listen not to get just an OSV license. Kinda ticked off the head of our training center a while back when I interrupted him telling someone to get their large OSV endorsement by asking “do you really want to be stuck in the oilfield forever?”
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