Bulk Carriers-Anyone ever work on One?

Since I Graduated I have only worked on tankers. Was wondering what it was like to work on a bulk carrier. I think there is only one American flagged company named Liberty that sails them. I imagine the schedule would be at least 90 days on/off? How long does it take to Load/Off load cargo??? Are you able to get off the ship in foreign ports? Just curious…

I was on foreign flag bulker.
had 4 months contract.

The time for port operations depends of the vsl size. But anyhow you may count on 3-4 days alongside, which means enough time for shore leave.

Panamax size is the best.
If the bulker is capesize it’s more likely you will load or discharge on some terminal distant from downtown (long drive by cab).
Smaller bulker up to 70.000 dwt could berth closer to cities.

What its like to work on bulker?
Depends on your rank. Just say what you are, and will tell you all about it.

3rd mate… I always told myself if I left my job I would quit tankers. especially coastal ones-LOL

Liberty mans their ships with officers form MEBA, yes, Deck officers too.

So what are you not liking about tankers?

Bulker:
You will enjoy it.
Your job is keeping the watch 0800-1200 and 2000-2400. Which is the best for normal biorithm and rest hours.
You will keep port documents, and keep in mind: with only few port calls during contract. It will not take too much of your time, that is.
You will be in charge for checking safety ewuipment, expiry dates, fresh drinking water in life boat. Also - not much time, if you organise yourself.
And, maybe few other smaller (administrative) tasks given by master, or captain.

You will have enough spare time for: learning (if you want), reading, watching movies, pornography, jer… off, etc…
And you will have enough time, and minimum duties to take a shore leave on occasion.

The other side of coin:
This is not future for an American or European to build carrier.

To stay on board, the future in shipping is:
Passanger ship,
Liguid cargo (tankers)
Gas carriers,
Off shore -suppliers

Or more - shore based:
Pilotage,
tugs,
ferries.
If I were you, I would pursue my carrier on that side.

Bulkers, containers, reefers, general cargo: are for Filipinos, Indians, Ruskies, Ukranians, Rumanians, Chinese… That is the modern trend.

Wise man…

I sailed on a bulker and Jolly is right on about everything. They are fun ships and interesting to work on, too bad there is no future here in the US for them.

[quote=Jeffrox;20819]Liberty mans their ships with officers form MEBA, yes, Deck officers too.

So what are you not liking about tankers?[/quote]

Was just looking to be on something different. Its getting kinda old dealing with our ships contracts etc… Chevron reps, Bp Reps, the Beaurocratic nonsense and paperwork never stops…It just seems like more of it is coming down the pipelines. God help you if even a drip of fuel oil gets on deck and someone slips. You may as well look for a new career if that drip goes in the water.

I would be open to anything like a container vessel, ro-ro, etc…

For some reason a bulk carrier always seemed like it would be a nice long trip and still have a decent amount of time in port.

[quote=linky2121;20870]Was just looking to be on something different. Its getting kinda old dealing with our ships contracts etc… Chevron reps, Bp Reps, the Beaurocratic nonsense and paperwork never stops…It just seems like more of it is coming down the pipelines. God help you if even a drip of fuel oil gets on deck and someone slips. You may as well look for a new career if that drip goes in the water.

I would be open to anything like a container vessel, ro-ro, etc…

For some reason a bulk carrier always seemed like it would be a nice long trip and still have a decent amount of time in port.[/quote]

If you will have my advice:
JOIN THE CRUISER.

For all above said you are right.
On cruiser at least you have women of all nations, and good pay.

I am on conatiner vsl, was on ro-ro b4, and you have all the same Beaurocratic nonsense and paperwork you mentioned, and same legal responsibility on safety and polution.
No spare time. Actully no shore leave (no time), No women.

JOIN THE CRUISER!

my last ship was a roro for liberty maritime.
Good ship built in 2005, liberty has 1 new roro out now and another one comming out sometime in 2010.
We wer on a run to the middle east and back, Only in port for a few hrs a day at most. Went to some crappy ports so not much port time. all and all it was a good trip

I sailed on a bulker as a cadet. It was hands down my favorite ship. It was an ITB hauling sugar from Hawaii to Crockett, CA. We had at least two days in each port and not just Honolulu but Maui, Kauai and the big island. It was one of the big west coast container companies and we were their only bulker so we were kind of the red headed stepchild of the fleet. It made for a really laid back Capt and crew. That is the only ship I would give up tugboats for.

Horray for the Moku!

Just hope you never have to do the bar at Cape D on her …

[quote=alexx_2010;20994][B]I have worked in a lot type of container but the one i prefer is[/B]
[U][B]20ft [/B][/U][B]which has [/B][B]1,160 Cu ft 32.85m3 cub capacity[/B]
[/quote]

Oooooooooo-kay . . . . :confused:

[quote=Captain Electron!!;20909]Horray for the Moku!

Just hope you never have to do the bar at Cape D on her …[/quote]She wasn’t much for creature comforts, but you couldn’t beat the run and the us against them attitude made for a tight knit crew other than the idiot First Mate who nobody liked.

It was a little sobering the first time we hit any kind of weather and I saw the entire stern deck awash.

[quote=KPEngineer;20999]She wasn’t much for creature comforts, but you couldn’t beat the run and the us against them attitude made for a tight knit crew other than the idiot First Mate who nobody liked.

It was a little sobering the first time we hit any kind of weather and I saw the entire stern deck awash.[/quote]

The Moku Pahu, which I see every once in awhile in the Bay Area where I live. It is somewhat of a Sister Ship to the ITB’s that US Shipping has. I’ve sailed on the Baltimore as 3rd A/E for the past year when she wasn’t in lay up. Pretty interesting set up on those Catugs. I’m curious as to what kind of main engines are on on board. It is pretty trippy to watch the stern go awash.

The main engines are Colt-Pielstick, V-14s. Don’t recall the exact model as it was about 15 years ago.

I learned more on that ship as a Cadet than my other three combined. That’s because more went wrong on that ship than the other three combined! We had to make a voyage from HI to CA on one engine while we basically disassembled the whole engine enroute and on another trip we had to dump the FO purifier waste into drums and lift them off because the fuel was crap.

Ahhhh … but two days in Maui or Kauai made it all worth it.

Our ITB’s run Enterprise V-16 diesel engines. They run pretty good all things considering. Matson Navigation runs the Moku Pahu, and it is still their only bulker. I had a friend who knew people that worked on there, and they were definitely a tight knit crew.

When I was on, we had one odd ball who didn’t fit in. Unfortunately, it was the First Mate.

I asked to borrow the bike hanging on his cabin wall (he kept his door open all the time) to go into town in Kauai. He said it was the other mate’s bike so he couldn’t give me permission. When I mentioned it to the 3/M, he said the other mate was his roomate at Casual and if he knew that was only way into town and I didn’t take the bike he would be pissed at me. So I borrowed the bike and went into town. He flipped out at yelled at me in front of everyone at dinner that night about how he told me not to take it. I told him in a calm voice that he told me it wasn’t his to give permission therefore it wasn’t his to say no either. Even the skipper would shake his head at the stuff he would pull. He would ask about engineering stuff and I would completely make up technical sounding jargon that made no sense and he would nod his head like he understood everything I said. Complete tool.

Other than that, it was a good crew. I would sail with all of them again in a heartbeat. I’m guessing the wiper is probably dead by now. He was a raging alcoholic who was drunk by morning coffee on the hooch he would make in his cabin. With holds full of sugar and fresh tropical fruit, he made some good shit.

I’ve heard of fun times aboard the Moku Pahu. Sounds like a cherry gig, better then hauling grain in the tanker barge aboard the Baltimore.

The ITB MOKU PAHU… I’ve sailed on that one. Shore leave was great! Could tie up the ship and go surfing and back in time to let go.