I think equal time on an Island Hopper type vessel, tug or ship or supply, would be interesting. I’ll look into Foss in Jax but don’t have Tankerman and won’t be able to acquire for a few weeks.
Also open to working extra time as needed.
Training as steersman currently so not sure if better route would be to try to find different opportunity before finishing steersman or after and looking for mate position elsewhere. Lots of turnover so I’m still decking quite a bit and this outfit is fairly limited to inland push and a 2:1 schedule both of which, long term, I’d like to try to move away from.
Also will look into getting Seafarer in addition to Tankerman as able.
I think you’d be best off to continue as Steersman and learn how to skillfully handle barges. You’ll learn it a lot faster inland than offshore.
STCW and Able Seafarer-Deck is not needed for 95% of tugs. However, it probably is needed for some of the best ATB jobs. I suggest that you get it ASAP, if practical.
I think that a Tankerman course completion certificate and a copy of your application for Tankerman Assistant would significantly improve your likelihood of being hired at a company that handles oil barges.
Its going to take months to get any endorsements out of NMC.
You may have BT, but that is just one part of “having STCW.” You don’t have STCW unless your MMC is endorsed II/4 That is Able Seafarer-Deck
You need II/4 for MSC, SUP or SIU, OSVs, or the largest coastwise tugs and ATBs.
If I were a young up and coming guy with AB and tugboat experience (knowing what I know now being an old almost done guy), I would join SUP or SIU (they are both looking for new members). I’d work on tugs while I aged my shipping card, and then I would go to the Hall with a “killer card.” I’d do one (1) three or four month deep sea trip per year, and do equal time tugboat work the rest of the year.
Doing that, within three or four years, I’d have Master 1600, Master Inland, Master of Towing, and 2nd Mate unlimited.
Others here are in unions and up to date on how union rotary shipping works.
Essentially, you don’t work for any particular company, the union assigns you to ships of any of their contracted companies. You sit in the Union Hall and put in for the jobs on the job board that you prefer (highest paying best working conditions). The guy present in the Hall with the highest category of card and oldest card wins the best job on the board.
Normally, this would mean that newbies would wait a long time to get the worst jobs. But right now, the unions are struggling to find enough warm bodies to fill their contacted jobs.
As far as tug companies go, just explain what you are doing and ask for a leave of absence. If they say no, quit, sail deep sea, and then find a new tugboat job. There are currently lots of tugboat jobs available. The tug companies are finally running out of old guys like me, and there are not enough young guys to replace us.
At 38 you are still a kid. We rarely have more than one guy onboard who is that young.
Do most of the companies listed in this thread here also work with unions? Exclusively or work hybrids - union contracted individuals working alongside individuals working directly for companies on same vessels?
Tugsailor is correct regarding union jobs and the ages… I did however never had to wait in a hall. Have the the correct credentials, a good paying job awaits you. The best paying job, you will have to wait in line behind other fellows that came before you… Still, good pay and most important, killer benefits. Dues are pennies in the bank.