Foreign flag/Cunard & American licensed mate

Maritime Employment
1

All,

Cunard has had a US licensed deck officer (a King’s Point graduate) aboard [I][B]Queen Mary 2[/B][/I] for several years. He achieved the position through hardwork, dedication & a mission focus that began in his teens.

See: http://www.beyondships.com/QM2-Lyons.html

Regarding the state of the US merchant Marine, a good perspective can be had from reading John McPhee’s [U][I][B]Looking for a Ship[/B][/I][/U] (ISBN 0-374-52319-3) , Farrar Strauss & Giroux, New York, 1990. It recounts a voyage to w/c South America on [I][B]SS Stella Lykes[/B][/I], but more importantly, despite the book being 20 years old, still provides an accurate portrayal of the industry as it exists in the US today.

Rgds,

Guampaul

2

Paul-

thanks for the great article:)

I learned a few things- hadn’t realized Carnival was a US company… but Internationally flagged:confused:

The captain of the largest cruise ship in the world Royal Caribbean’s “Oasis of the Seas” is also American-

(from Professional Mariner)

MIAMI) – The captain of Oasis of the Seas is an American who is also Royal Caribbean’s senior vice president for marine operations, Business Daily newspaper of South Africa reported. William Wright is a marine engineer who speaks fluent Norwegian because his mother is from Norway. His job title at the company’s Miami headquarters means that all of the company’s crews report to him.

So there are a few positions out there:)

I know being an officer on a cruise ships isn’t for everybody-especially if you’re not a “people person” but to me there are worse ways to make a living.

Thanks again-Anthony

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Pay isn’t always less on foreign flags. A 2nd/m that i sailed with, who hawespiped w/TOTE, had a CMA grad brother who jumped foreign out of Singapore when Keystone tankers was slashing wages in the '90s. Follow that? He was making a little more than keystone was paying, and living in Thailand. Sounds good to me. My dream was always to sail as a mate on a ULCC.

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Anthony wrote:

[I]The captain of the largest cruise ship in the world Royal Caribbean’s “Oasis of the Seas” is also American-

(from Professional Mariner)

MIAMI) – The captain of Oasis of the Seas is an American who is also Royal Caribbean’s senior vice president for marine operations, Business Daily newspaper of South Africa reported. William Wright is a marine engineer who speaks fluent Norwegian because his mother is from Norway. His job title at the company’s Miami headquarters means that all of the company’s crews report to him.

So there are a few positions out there:)

I know being an officer on a cruise ships isn’t for everybody-especially if you’re not a “people person” but to me there are worse ways to make a living."[/I]

All,

My wife & I are back from a one week cruise Tampa - Costa Maya on HAL’s RYNDAM. We met several American officers in stewards dept/hotel billets, all of whom had three things in common; they were educated, they had gone door knocking to get their positions and they had an extreme amount of enthusiasm for HAL as a company and for what they were doing. I also met an American musician, Darryl, who has been riding ships as a musician for more than a decade.

From my understanding of STCW requirements it should not be impossible to transfer USCG docs, training & licenses to foreign flag equivalents if one is willing to do so. Whether or not the USCG will accept foreign flag sea duty as equivalent under STCW requirements remains to be seen. IMHO the USCG MSOs have a predeliction for one way reciprocity, their way only.

My point? Foreign flag should not be used to define all foreign operators & their ships as second rate, albeit, often at a lower rate of pay. When I worked for US Navy SRF Guam I met many officers & crew off foreign flags, Aussies, Kiwis, Brits, Pilipinos, etc, all of whom were working under other national flags then their own, but they were working.

A question, if I may. Which is better? Sailing as 3rd officer under a foreign flag or sitting on the beach watching others sail the deep sea?

Like the moribound SS UNITED STATES, the US Merchant Marine is not coming back unless there is government intervention and that is not likely in the current political environment. Why? Money, just follow the money.

Rgds,

Guampaul

5

It is a very simple process to obtain a “certificate of equivalent competency” or license endorsement from the major foreign maritime authorities using a USCG license. This generally applies to upper level licenses since many of our lower level license do not yet meet STCW standards.

Some lower level licenses can be used to obtain an endorsement for service on foreign flag vessels. This is very easily done and in many cases simply submitting the application for endorsement and holding the acknowledgement of official receipt of the application covers the applicant until the process is complete.

If the foreign service is on a vessel that meets flag standards for STCW “white list” countries and that service was performed under the authorityof a valid licensel endorsement, or CeC, there should be no issue with using that sea time.

The US doesn’t hold the pinnacle of quality in the maritime world. We have lagged behind in STCW conformity so it is foolish to think that the S in STCW means less elsewhere. The pay and living conditions are often far better on some foriegn vessels as seafaring has long been seen as a real profession. Families are often welcome to accompany officers, wine is served with meals and the general living standard is far higher than what we see on most American ships these days. They are not treated like children by the maritime authority or the owners.

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I am a holder of a USCG license as master 200 ton / 500 ITC and I am in procedure of getting an equivalent of my license here in Brazil. I’ll be issued an equivalent because I got an ll/3. as far as sea time, the NMC told me that as long as I work on a vessel that is below my ITC tonnage (500) tons, I’ll be okay also, the sea time letter has to be written in English. I’ll make sure of that and request this rule in writing.

Best regards.

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[QUOTE=tugboat4life68;53866]…also, the sea time letter has to be written in English. I’ll make sure of that and request this rule in writing. [/QUOTE]

Don’t waste NMC’s time. If you want it in writing, try 46 CFR 11.205(b)(3): “…shall submit satisfactory evidence of such service (including any necessary translation into English)” [emphasis added]

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Thanks Sir. I found that link yesterday …extra.gopacess.gov … But Thanks for the info regardless.

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ecfr.gopaccess.gov

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I found that link yesterday