Foot in the door at ECO...?

Hey Forum member! I finally took the plunge and decided to jump in… I’ve been testing the water & getting the lay of the land so to speak… browsing through the forums for the past 9 mos. I feel like I know most of y’all… I got hooked when I tuned in weekly to get the latest news from rebel_rider and his exploits in finding a job… which is where I’m at right now… I drove down from Chicago a few days ago and began my door-knocking. To start with the basics; I’ve got my Master 100 Ton-Near Coastal (and my 200 Ton paperwork is currently stuck in the bottleneck at the NMC)… Radar Observer-unlimited; FCC-Marine Radio Operators Permit; BST; STCW-95(on the verge of expiring)… I just came from a mate/engineer position on a 890 passenger/crew dinner cruise vessel on Lake Michigan New Year’s Eve cruise basically ended their season… I’ve got 6 years of private yachting exp. on boats ranging from 85’-315’ft. w/ DP exp. cruising, deliveries, chartering from the Med. to the Caribbean - Bahamas and N. Atlantic… 3 trans-Atlantic crossings under my belt, with 1023 days of sea service on vessels over 100 GRT (and 50% of that over 200 GRT)… I’m looking to get a spot on ECO vessel and think I might have my foot in the door there after meeting w/ Nicky Collins he told me that I was “on” though I’d have to wait a week or so until a spot becomes available, to check-in weekly and he wrote my name down on a yellow post-it note and stuck it on his PC monitor to remind him… so does it sound legit or is that what the SOP there is? I’ve been to just about every place I know of; Seacor, Oceaneering, C&G, ECO, HSO, ACO, Aries, Kirby, Transocean, Montco… any advice out there on what I should do? All help is much appreciated!

So did you land a job?

As long as you have sea time you’re BSt dies not expire.

If Nicky said to call then call. I know of a few people who were hired this exact way. I was one of them.

I’m in orientation at ECO right now and they are having to tell new hires to come back next week because the classes are full. It’s a full on hiring boom right now. Nicki Collins is doing a recruiting tour of the Northeast academies until Friday. I would keep calling to make sure you don’t get lost in the herd.

[QUOTE=ForkandBlade;105986]I’m in orientation at ECO right now and they are having to tell new hires to come back next week because the classes are full. It’s a full on hiring boom right now. Nicki Collins is doing a recruiting tour of the Northeast academies until Friday. I would keep calling to make sure you don’t get lost in the herd.[/QUOTE]
Thanks for that Fork, I live on the shore also. Going to be looking for GOM work shortly, Good luck.

[QUOTE=“ForkandBlade;105986”]I’m in orientation at ECO right now and they are having to tell new hires to come back next week because the classes are full. It’s a full on hiring boom right now. Nicki Collins is doing a recruiting tour of the Northeast academies until Friday. I would keep calling to make sure you don’t get lost in the herd.[/QUOTE]

Does anyone have the dates/places he’ll be at while up in the NE?

Yes, a 1600 ton master got hired at ECO this week and has to wait until next week to begin orientation process.
Another academy grad that got hired with ECO, week before last, stayed here 11 days before going out on a boat, yesterday.
The hiring is rampant with all of the companies right now.
One mariner that got hired with ECO 2 weeks, ago, had to take the HUET class at GIS because the ECO class was full.
It was also 2 weeks before he went out on his first hitch.
Just wanted to share more info regarding the hiring process.
Best wishes to all of you.

Claudette L. Pitre
A Chateau on the Bayou B&B
3158 Hwy 308
Raceland, LA
(985)537-6773
Website: http://www.achateauonthebayou.com
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...21896531157165

They can’t hire experienced captain’s fast enough as they are quitting I heard. Come on a few more now and we will get a raise or else no one will be around ti drive the ships.

[QUOTE=liftedlimo;106049]They can’t hire experienced captain’s fast enough as they are quitting I heard. Come on a few more now and we will get a raise or else no one will be around ti drive the ships.[/QUOTE]

why are they quitting?

Somebody must be paying $2/day more. I’m telling you, everything I’ve seen and heard so far at ECO sounds wonderful. The pay, health benefits, access to training center, 2 airport runs a day (free of charge) housing and meals while training, crewchange lounge and shoreside personnel’s general sense of wanting to help has me sold. I haven’t been this happy since my Maritrans days.

I’m just completing my first week as training captain on a 280’ OSV. Loving ECO so far and happy I made the move when I did.

I’d like to hear more about your Maritrans days. Did you leave because of OSG? I’ve heard good things and bad things about them but I’d be interested in hearing more of the good.

[QUOTE=ForkandBlade;106064]Somebody must be paying $2/day more. I’m telling you, everything I’ve seen and heard so far at ECO sounds wonderful. The pay, health benefits, access to training center, 2 airport runs a day (free of charge) housing and meals while training, crewchange lounge and shoreside personnel’s general sense of wanting to help has me sold. I haven’t been this happy since my Maritrans days.[/QUOTE]

Actually it’s about 100/day more. But your happiness is all that should matter to you.

We must be in different divisions…

Yeah same here lol

[QUOTE=“ForkandBlade;106064”]Somebody must be paying $2/day more. I’m telling you, everything I’ve seen and heard so far at ECO sounds wonderful. The pay, health benefits, access to training center, 2 airport runs a day (free of charge) housing and meals while training, crewchange lounge and shoreside personnel’s general sense of wanting to help has me sold. I haven’t been this happy since my Maritrans days.[/QUOTE]

Wow someone is drinking the cool aid, shore side personnel s sense of wanting to help you… hahahaha give me a break.
Go for the money while you can. ECO you work twice as hard for half the pay those other benefits you were raving about is completely relative based on personal experience…

[QUOTE=“alabamabound;112056”]

Wow someone is drinking the cool aid, shore side personnel s sense of wanting to help you… hahahaha give me a break.
Go for the money while you can. ECO you work twice as hard for half the pay those other benefits you were raving about is completely relative based on personal experience…[/QUOTE]

Fork might be an east coast tugboat guy. So everything is relative and your perception is your reality. Going from tugs to the GOM on an OSV…different animal. Give him a break. Most tugboat companies don’t have the facility to train like ECO or the money. Jusdt sayin

Coming from 1970’s vintage tugboats, with 5-7 guys, to a newer boat with a better schedule and better pay, sounds like a plan to me. Heading down in Oct to scout out a new engine room. Eco’s training is whats got me sold, plus a 28-28 schedule would be a dream. I want to know where the tugboat companys are going to scrounge up qualified help, because after july 1st i believe the bleed is going to get alot worse.

[QUOTE=“BargeMonkey;112075”]Coming from 1970’s vintage tugboats, with 5-7 guys, to a newer boat with a better schedule and better pay, sounds like a plan to me. Heading down in Oct to scout out a new engine room. Eco’s training is whats got me sold, plus a 28-28 schedule would be a dream. I want to know where the tugboat companys are going to scrounge up qualified help, because after july 1st i believe the bleed is going to get alot worse.[/QUOTE]

I agree. Side note: NYC tug companies are behind the 8 ball with equipment, training, and pay. It’s only a matter of time until the motivated deckhands and mates see the writing on the wall. The experienced tug captains are making a decent buck, the mates and engineers are not. Our engineers work their tails off…sometimes 1-2 days straight just fixing the shitters and the water system. And this is on a 2 year-old tug! If you use crap materials you get crap equipment.