[quote=c.captain;8966]First, these were my questions to you from page 13:
- Do you genuinely feel that US citizen mariners are not being harmed by this situation with foreign vessels in the Gulf? That’s about as subjective as you can get. I don’t know of any that lost their job. If I did, I would have a problem. If you know people that were, send them here.
- Do you believe that there really are no qualified Americans available to do the work being done here by foreigners? I’m one of those qualified Americans myself. That’s an easy one. Being available…not sure. Do you have a job?
- Are American mariners not capable of the job or that we don’t deserve the chance to do it? Americans are very capable.Would this chance be in the context of working side by side with Norway, leaving the whole foreign vessel to Americans, or replacing it with American built tonnage?
- Do you feel that it is ok for the status quo to remain and that 43USC and 33CFR are irrelevant? Nothing is irrelevent when you have a mechanism that exemplifies the code to begin with, even if it is an exception.
- How many [B][I][U]US flagged[/U][/I][/B] Chouest vessels are working in the North Sea or anywhere else outside the Gulf for that matter? I don’t know the exact answer, but several dozens atleast. Several are in Brazil, Japan, Phillipines, Africa, but ECO is building foreign to take advantage of a long term commitments and Petrobras’s 150 vessel contracts over the next several years. This market is one of the fastest growing and lucrative. Brazil provides its own energy 100%. Chouest is building offices, training centers, and C-Ports in this market.
- Seems to me that Chouest’s entry in the Brazil market involves building, flagging and manning their vessels in Brazil. Likewise, that their entry to the North Sea was through its part ownership of Island Offshore. Why exactly is that? Long term investments and commitments to customers. Chouest will be there till the oil is gone, but some relationships can be equated to an investment on the New Orleans Hornets. Just because you invest, it doesn’t mean you’re telling Chris Paul what to do or how to do it.
Now your questions to me:
43USC1356, 33CFR141 and NVIC#7-84
Yes, there are mechanisms to allow exceptions for foreign owned vessels and foreign mariners to work on the OCS but they are supposed to be exceptions not the norm which since Katrina has become a flood so I say that a line must be drawn but you are apparently ok with this. How many American mariners are with you and how many with me may be debatable but I believe that most are with me as one would expect.
The GRANT CANDIES is currently at Candies Shipyard in Houma without a contract.
The HOS ACHIEVER has been sitting at HOSPort since October without a job but finally has a contract to be an accomdations vessel starting this summer or so I’ve been told.
So, if there are vessels without work, there are mariners without work. How many US mariners on this board been posting that they are searching for a job? How many sailing below the level they are qualified for? How many earning less that a comparable Norwegian here in the Gulf?
Those are the men who provide all the proof I need…[/quote]
Those “men” on the Grant Candies happened to be employed. The captain is a personal friend and my neighbor. The vessel is being fitted with a crane currently and has a job…and it has a full crew assigned.
The captain on the HOS Achiever, which I know, is gainfully employed and so is the crew. Hornbeck’s 4th quarter earnings will show the actual operating and generated income since October. Not bad for sitting, but you are right about the floatel conversion.
You will always see lower level guys searching for employment. That was the case on Gulf Chat before Katrina and is the case now. One guy just thanked Capt.Lee on his advice. gCaptain would not be the same without those who search for information and employment. I had a guy shake my hand in Guam (my coke almost came out of my nose when he asked, "are you anchorman?"lol) because my post made him fly from the Phillipines and apply at Chouest. He was placed very close to his home with a good job. These opportunities are not dissapearing. The biggest problem is finding shipyard workers to build US tonnage. If you have friends that need jobs…suggest gCaptain since you know so many. We can help.
As far as the exception versus the norm. I don’t have a clue. I think the market will win this debate…it usually does.