Hello, I am new to the forum and was wondering how much does a 3rd mate make on a US flag container ship? Also, what rotation/schedule do they usually run? Thank you in advance.
All depends on the company. We need some more information and we will be able to help you.
[QUOTE=captainbry;121001]All depends on the company. We need some more information and we will be able to help you.[/QUOTE]
Well, I was looking at Maersk but if you have experience with other companies please let me know. I worked on a bulk carrier before and my rotation was 3 months on, 3 months off so I was wondering if the rotation would be similar on container ships. I was also looking at Maersk RO/RO ships and would like to know the difference between working on them and container ships. Thank you for your answers.
Depends on what union and what contract that union has with a specific company. I’d say anywhere from 85k to 120k.
Rotations can run anywhere from 30 days to 120 depending what kind of relief job it is.
[QUOTE=vlad242;120993]Hello, I am new to the forum and was wondering how much does a 3rd mate make on a US flag container ship? Also, what rotation/schedule do they usually run? Thank you in advance.[/QUOTE]
single biggest issue is how much work can you get. as an applicant and D book with the MMP, you will be scrapping for jobs (for 5-10 yrs) on low paying car carriers and low paying crowley containerships. you might do better on west coast, but totally up to chance. some years you might get 5-7 mos of work, some only 3.
you might get more work in the AMO, but wages are lower.
if your goal is to get your license and start sailing box boats, then you are in the wrong business.
your goal should be get the license and get sea time, period. OS, AB, mate, whatever.
i was fortunate to be gainfully employed for about 7yrs on tankers, bulkers, and car carriers before i ever set foot on a containership.
tankers and bulkers are great experience for hands on work, you’d do yourself great service to spend some time on those first.
[QUOTE=“Johnny Canal;121098”]Tankers and bulkers are great experience for hands on work, you’d do yourself great service to spend some time on those first.[/QUOTE]
Besides, bulkers are where the fun and adventure are. No other Jones act ships go around the world like they do or stay in port as long. You’ll see cool places and learn good seamanship going into backwater ports.
[QUOTE=Johnny Canal;121098]single biggest issue is how much work can you get. as an applicant and D book with the MMP, you will be scrapping for jobs (for 5-10 yrs) on low paying car carriers and low paying crowley containerships. you might do better on west coast, but totally up to chance. some years you might get 5-7 mos of work, some only 3.
you might get more work in the AMO, but wages are lower.
if your goal is to get your license and start sailing box boats, then you are in the wrong business.
your goal should be get the license and get sea time, period. OS, AB, mate, whatever.
i was fortunate to be gainfully employed for about 7yrs on tankers, bulkers, and car carriers before i ever set foot on a containership.
tankers and bulkers are great experience for hands on work, you’d do yourself great service to spend some time on those first.[/QUOTE]
Thank you for your answer. I already have 5 years experience working as 3rd Mate and 2nd Mate unlimited on bulkers through a NON UNION company. I would go back to bulkers but wanted to find out about container ships and RO/ROs first. Would not mind putting in the time to advance to higher paid positions on container ships. What pay can I expect on low paying car carriers or low pay crowley container ships? Thank you again all again…
[QUOTE=Capt. Phoenix;121106]Besides, bulkers are where the fun and adventure are. No other Jones act ships go around the world like they do or stay in port as long. You’ll see cool places and learn good seamanship going into backwater ports.[/QUOTE]
the fun and adventure can be true one voyage, but quite often they are not. there is nothing fun or adventurous about going to N Korea in winter, repeatedly. and there is nothing fun about offloading grain way offshore for a couple of weeks. it’s a crap shoot from one trip to the next.
unfortunately there are only 7 or 8 bulkers left (and 2 of those are very, very old, so we don’t know how much longer they will run).
[QUOTE=“Johnny Canal;121217”]unfortunately there are only 7 or 8 bulkers left (and 2 of those are very, very old, so we don’t know how much longer they will run).[/QUOTE]
And they usually pay shit wages…
[QUOTE=“Johnny Canal;121217”]
the fun and adventure can be true one voyage, but quite often they are not. there is nothing fun or adventurous about going to N Korea in winter, repeatedly. and there is nothing fun about offloading grain way offshore for a couple of weeks. it’s a crap shoot from one trip to the next.
unfortunately there are only 7 or 8 bulkers left (and 2 of those are very, very old, so we don’t know how much longer they will run).[/QUOTE]
What’s wrong with going to N. Korea? I actually had a good time for the 3 weeks I was there. But I will admit - once was enough.
[QUOTE=Capt. Phoenix;121227]And they usually pay shit wages…[/QUOTE]
clearly you can’t have it all…
but i wouldn’t trade my time in colombia and peru making low wages (but really not that bad), but screwing my brains out every night ashore and always having a fridge full of beer in my stateroom.
capt’s 67th b-day party at sea between colombia and portland, or was the old school stuff of lore!
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[QUOTE=fullbell;121249]What’s wrong with going to N. Korea? I actually had a good time for the 3 weeks I was there. But I will admit - once was enough.[/QUOTE]
if you haven’t done it in winter on a tanker full of grain as a mate or deckhand of some sort, it just doesn’t count…
Cut my first engineer teeth on a romance tanker grain run to Chittagong, Bangledesh. We were boarded by pirates but they were just stealing some mooring lines out of the focsle not armed and organised like they are today. That was a 4th world shit hole We used to hit a lot of great ports on LASH runs
Spent 3 weeks in shittagong unloading grain. It was the only time I was looking forward to getting to Karachi. We too had them come on and cut lines.
The bulkers I have been on did have a lot of port time. But weeks in Sudan and Djibouti were not my ideas of a good time
[QUOTE=“Johnny Canal;121322”]
clearly you can’t have it all…
but i wouldn’t trade my time in colombia and peru making low wages (but really not that bad), but screwing my brains out every night ashore and always having a fridge full of beer in my stateroom.
capt’s 67th b-day party at sea between colombia and portland, or was the old school stuff of lore!
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if you haven’t done it in winter on a tanker full of grain as a mate or deckhand of some sort, it just doesn’t count…[/QUOTE]
Earning shit wages and having a great time sometimes beats the heck out of a top dollar job and going brain dead from boredom. Especially when you’re young and single. I would have spent the extra money by now anyways, but the memories are with me for ever.
I guess I lucked out, it was spring time when I was in DPRK, flowers were blossoming!