Yes, the ridiculous pandemic inflation we are currently seeing in some areas on some products will most likely go back down.
Any half way intelligent person…
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Who is the economic forecaster that explained to you inflation will go away? History has shown that unless central banks increase the interest rates inflation will continue. The main proponents of low interest rates from the Fed are the mega bankers who use cheap money for stock buy backs and gambling. Historically this does not end well.
My former employer, a small mom and pop in NY harbor has lost 4 or 5 guys to Harley/Centerline in the past few years.
I ran into one on the pier last week. He was working over on his old boat.
These particular guys went there for year round work, benefits and slightly better working conditions and the possibility of advancement. At the mom and pop you literally had to wait for a guy to die to get in the wheelhouse. Recently on one boat they had to fire a couple guys so there was some turnover, but the other boat has the same two captains since I started there 12 years ago.
So Centerline does have something to offer at least some mariners. I see their openings in my email box every week. They have not started recruiting on YouTube yet like Vane has.
With the pencil whipping and buying bigger ATB units, which they don’t have the manpower, expertise or capitol to manage properly.
I have a feeling they will end up like Bouchard or K-sea in a few years.
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I would not compare K-Sea and Bouchard. KeSea sold out while Bouchard was destroyed from within by its owner.
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K-Sea collapsed under it’s own weight.
The end result is the same, they are not around anymore.
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I don’t know a lot of either story but from what I’ve heard it’s relatively similar. And in the end both companies failed.
Seems that the mariners although are always the most valuable asset along with the equipment. The company I currently worked for acquired several small companies in the past and the first thing they did was axe the office staff. You don’t need 4 port captains, or 4 port engineers or two HR departments. The boats however need a crew wherever they end up.
I will be curious to see what happens ultimately won’t effect me. I do remember hearing when people heard I worked at Harley / centerline that they don’t even bother bidding on the work they take because they bid so low there was no money to be made. I can’t help but wonder if trying to under cut everyone else they undercut themselves in the end 
In the end a few key people know what is going on and the truth and we are all just speculating.
Harley went to NY and started underbidding Vane.
Next thing Harley knew, Vane was in Seattle underbidding Harley.
It seems like Harley went from bad to worse shortly after that.
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Centerline offered me an ab position(ATB) over a phone call, the day after I filled out an application online.
The pay seems pretty good, the benefits seem pretty good, the growth opportunities seem pretty good.
I’m coming from ship docking in the southeast (the LOWEST PAY) and want to get unlimited tonnage to work towards 3rd mate unlimited.
Am I missing something here??
I feel like centerline is getting bashed.
I heard they were on the rise??
Also I was under the impression that ALL ATBs we’re unlimited tonnage? Is that not the case??
Any replies would be greatly appreciated as I have applied to 6 other East Coast companies with ATBS and only heard back from Kirby (but not fully) and centerline (right away). … Moran is out of the question…
… New to the forum and just acquired my AB STCW-RFPNW. In the search for a new job! Better pay and equal time. I’m 2-1
Thanks for any input!
Go ahead. Give Centerline a try. It will be good for you to get that experience. If you like it great. If you don’t, no problem finding a different job.
You can get your loads and discharges and become a Tankerman too. Tankerman is where the unlicensed money is.
Combined tug and barge tonnage can be used on a two days for one day basis toward an unlimited license (360 days onboard equals180 days of unlimited tonnage seatime). If you work 12 hour days, 360 onboard will equal 240 of unlimited tonnage seatime.
You will also need to get 180 days on a self propelled unlimited tonnage vessel to get one year of seatime credit toward third mate unlimited.
Centerline may very well meet your needs. At least for awhile.
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Go for it. You’ll be fine.
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Centerline’s saving grace is their benefits package and 401k. It makes up for a lot of their shortcomings.
They have turnover, but there are lots of lifers there, too. Your own experience is all going to depend on where you land. It varies from location to location, boat to boat. If you want to work on the most state of the art technology, probably not the best place to go. Steady work, great benefits and experience, great place to start at.
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Good advice on the PIC ticket. Money in the bank, more opportunities.
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12 posts were merged into an existing topic: ATB time count towards 3rd mate unlimited?
Moved a bunch of posts to a topic thread more appropriate to the subject matter touched upon. Crediting of ATB time has very little to do with the Centerline other than they do operate ATBs. And nothing to do with their sale or getting a job there.
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For a minute I thought that you must be Larry with a new screen name, but what you said doesn’t quite fit. Larry retired shortly before the shit hit the fan.
Who can blame MacQuarrie for wanting to get some of it’s $500 million investment back?
Nobody cares that Harley spent a lot of somebody else’s money fruitlessly trying to prove that he’s do-gooder.
Thankfully, I don’t need to work for the likes of Harley or
Godden. I would feel bad for the Centerline employees, if I were not so angry with them for going along with Harley’s and Godden’s substandard Mariner wages for so many years.
As you stated lucky for you. Unfortunately there are others in our industry who do need to work at Centerline. Instead of holding a grudge against working class people like ourselves, perhaps you can get off the sidelines to come show some support and encouragement along side us who are stuck under the thumb of the POS’ (PLURAL!!) currently in management who’s aim is to make our lives absolutely miserable through fear intimidation and bullshit tactics. Look up Centerline Logistics and it’s subsidiaries on the NLRB website. Count for yourself how many recent NLRA violations have been filed against them. Do some homework on how many lawsuits these people are involved in. These managers make jokes about us being in the soup line for Christmas. We fight with what we have. We all cry “Bring Back Harley Franco” because if he was perfect or not he was far better than what we have now in every way I can see. Your anger is misdirected brother. Our industry is too small to hold grudges against each other. It’s the employers and multi-national corporates that deserve your anger. You dare say who can blame MCQ but many of us can no longer even afford to live in the towns we work in where our families established roots many many decades ago. Meanwhile these corporates make record profits and you defend them ? Come on man, you sound like one of them.
Why? Places are desperate for people, you could probably find 4 jobs paying 20% tomorrow.
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Matt Goddens grandmother must be disgusted with what he has done to his labor. Harley Franco was a saint compared to this monster currently in charge. His company has the nerve to post on facebook how much they appreciate mariners while he sacked 40 plus mariners for wanting a fair wage. Shame on you Godden and shame on every turncoat you have working for you.
They turned on Franco they will do the same to you.
How do you sleep at night?
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Why should we be the ones to leave ?
By your logic -
" Accept our bullshit or leave and let us exploit some other poor worker in your place "
No man. These people are just bullies. They need a good kick in the nuts from people who are sick and tired of their hostilities and games. These are our communities they operate in. They are just visitors profiting from our labor.
They can’t afford to pay the price of entry in our backyards ? They should be the ones to GTFO. Maybe THEIR replacement will do right by local labor.
Yes, and you do that by quitting. They can’t stay in business if no one will work for them.
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