I don’t know…
I always thought I’d be a better Lord Vader, but then again I grow old with long hair coming out of my ears
Wouldn’t the imbalance possibly be from the shift of the spotlight from big new American ships which always take front row as they should to placing said spotlight on new build OSVs. When tankers started getting replaced by ATBs which is a farce and OSVs became the new ship per say this is where I believe lies the heart of the issue. And it’s probably irreversible with Maersk/Sealand and OSG building more foreign flagged vessels then US and all the new fancy drilling rigs being from overseas . Even the large specialty vessels are primarily foreign flagged. Would this be a semi correct assessment of it all?
[QUOTE=OBXmariner;145843]Wouldn’t the imbalance possibly be from the shift of the spotlight from big new American ships which always take front row as they should to placing said spotlight on new build OSVs. When tankers started getting replaced by ATBs which is a farce and OSVs became the new ship per say this is where I believe lies the heart of the issue. And it’s probably irreversible with Maersk/Sealand and OSG building more foreign flagged vessels then US and all the new fancy drilling rigs being from overseas . Even the large specialty vessels are primarily foreign flagged. Would this be a semi correct assessment of it all?[/QUOTE]
About the only reason we have any we have foreign running box boats at this point is because of MSP and military cargo. Very soon after MSP was yanked from C-10s, they were sold/scrapped/flagged out. MLL is only a legal obligation. There’s not really anything left of that company which resembles Sea-Land or CSX, etc. OSG has been a large foreign flag outfit for decades (used to be bigger than it currently is), with MOC and then OSG Ship mgmt just its American flag divisions. If running US flag tankers and ATBs wasn’t profitable for OSG in the eyes of the big dogs at 511 5th Ave in Manhattan, I don’t think they would bat an eye at shutting it down.
I don’t think its an imbalance so much as a wage shift. If we had all the new build drill ships and then subsequently the large OSVs working the GOM but wages didn’t explode like they did over last 5-7 yrs (especially for limited licenses) would so many mariners from other areas of the US be flocking to LA to knock on doors or would academy grads be coming right down here out of school? Personally, I don’t think so. I can’t imagine much of a “spotlight” on a new build OSVs of 275-320 if the Capt and the Chief were making about $650-750 per day while full contract ships Capt and Chiefs are still making over a $1000/day (for years and years now) before IRA contributions and pensions are factored in, not to mention full access to places like MITAGS and Easton for classes. And this is all while doing it under a contract for the next 8-10 yrs with guaranteed COLA written in every year or every other year at worst.
As far as large subsea vessels in GOM are concerned, I don’t think that is really even part of the conversation seeing as so few US mariners are even employed on them. I certainly wish that was not the case.
Drillship hiring has slowed down from what I can tell, and annual raises at some companies are also being dropped or eliminated. For all those unlimited license holders in the GOM who think they are going to easily jump from OSVs to MODUs once they get the golden ticket, I think they are sadly mistaken. It is getting harder and harder, and that’s even if you know someone who can give you a referral.
With no union style contracts in place, there’s nothing to stop HGIM (or anyone for that matter) from cutting wages $50 let alone $200/day if they wanted to. I seriously doubt even 75/day will happen, but if they did, the other operators would find out probably faster than the actual employees taking the cuts. In that case, the employee looking to leave can either keep his job and all his 401K at HGIM and what he already learned about their system or go down the street to ECO or HOS or GM for the new low standard day rate and start all over again.
Shipping has its cycles and clearly so does the oil patch.
I heard today that Shell cut 10 of Harvey’s boat contracts. Anyone heard about that or is someone trying to start another rumor??
[QUOTE=matt21;145960]I heard today that Shell cut 10 of Harvey’s boat contracts. Anyone heard about that or is someone trying to start another rumor??[/QUOTE]
Your the someone!
Haha! No I honestly heard that yesterday and I hesitated on posting that on here because I thought it might stir the pot. I figured it would have been blown up on here if it was true just wanted to see if anyone had heard anything. I try to stay out of the bs on here… ECO just have $200 across the board and picked up 10 new contracts with Shell!!! Haha!
[QUOTE=matt21;145960]I heard today that Shell cut 10 of Harvey’s boat contracts. Anyone heard about that or is someone trying to start another rumor??[/QUOTE]
That’s the number I heard as well. Coordinators pay was cut too.
Hey Shane’s such a ruthless business man you think he’d announce it to the world he cut wages to make business more profitable!!!
[QUOTE=z-drive;145988]Hey Shane’s such a ruthless business man you think he’d announce it to the world he cut wages to make business more profitable!!![/QUOTE]
not surprising that of all the OMSA Mafia Bosses, Shane is the one I have the greatest disdain for. If there is one of the Bayoo bosses that I would love to see EAT IT his him…A PHAT PHUCKING BUBBA ASSHOLE EXTRAORDINAIRE
I say one thing as that is the guy has seriously aged over the past 5 years…he looks as old as Massa Gary these days!
Clients want lower costs and shareholders want higher earnings…guess what has to bend in this equation?
Pretty easy to see who has no bargaining position?
See all you sorry assed blokes in the funny pages…
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I heard that the other day from a few people that work for Shell. If that’s true that stinks for Harvey, and good for other companies if Shell wants to fill those spots!
So, what’s the deal?
- None of this is true.
- It’s true but joe boss Shane has everyone afraid to say anything.
- Everyone at Harvey won’t admit it’s true, too embarrassed.
If it were false, you Harvey guys always talking about blue and white would be up in arms denying. Can’t believe there’s not more being said.
I have been expecting some kind of shoe to drop with all this news that the major deepwater players like Shell wanting to trim the fat from their E&P spending. Someone was bound to take the first hit, but what will be more important is how the shockwaves will reverberate through the business? I would expect all the major OSV operators will follow HGIM’s move to cut their operating costs.
The word that I got was, Chevron dropped contracts for Harvey because Shane ran his mouth to someone at Chevron. Heard he cut the future raises, cut paying for schools and classes, also cut paying employees while they are in school.
But what has been cut at hgim? we haven’t heard anything of any substance…too many different stories a
[QUOTE=z-drive;146002]But what has been cut at hgim? we haven’t heard anything of any substance…too many different stories a[/QUOTE]
I don’t know, just like you I am speculating if there is a major loss of Shell work for HGIM…
GOM wages did not do all that much to raise wages elsewhere as it should have. Now the GOM slowdown has killed raise prospects elsewhere. At least we won’t have to worry about any cuts. There are stlll a lot of us tug guys at or beyond retirement age. Now that towing licenses are no longer being handed out like candy, we are not easy to replace. Our wages should still go up eventually.
Nah…they’ll just start handing them out again
[QUOTE=MassCap;145995]I heard that the other day from a few people that work for Shell. If that’s true that stinks for Harvey, and good for other companies if Shell wants to fill those spots![/QUOTE]
I would fully anticipate Jackson Offshore to get a few of those contracts. Maybe HOS will start to see more of the work or maybe ECO strong armed. shell into an ultimatum.
[QUOTE=tugsailor;146004]GOM wages did not do all that much to raise wages elsewhere as it should have. Now the GOM slowdown has killed raise prospects elsewhere. At least we won’t have to worry about any cuts. There are stlll a lot of us tug guys at or beyond retirement age. Now that towing licenses are no longer being handed out like candy, we are not easy to replace. Our wages should still go up eventually.[/QUOTE]
I think Local 333 moving to MM&P is going to do more for your raises than anything else, especially taking the delegates with you! Besides, you have all those licensed barge captains able to pick up the slack, should there be a mass exodus of retiring captains!
what are there, a dozen Union barge captains left?