Good evening, does anyone know of any companies that are hiring for OS Deckhands? Like, actively hiring. I have had my MMC, TWIC, and Medcard for about 6 months and nothing. I have tried Sealift Command and was looking at tug companies to gain experience.
Since you are in MD, Vane would be a good one.
Centerline is always looking for people.
Kirby has a training program for new deckhands in TX.
McAllister, Moran, Weeks, Stansinos, Dann.
Just apply to all of them, most important thing is getting your foot in the door and then you can keep applying to go deep sea/msc if that’s your ultimate goal.
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Wrote this in another thread may be helpful for you.
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I applied for MSC (they NFFD me due to my VA disabilities (USCG said I am fit for duty however). I couldn’t do SIU as I need money and they don’t pay you much while you are in the school. I have tried a 2yr program at SUNY Maritime but they denied my application.
western alaska tug companies are getting rolling for their season might want to look into them as they are usually always looking for hands. Delta Western, Vitus, Bering Marine, Cruz Construction, Alaska Marine Lines, Crowley Fuels, Bowhead to name a few. Helped a friend recently get a TWIC and MMC and a week after having it in hand he was flying up to Alaska for the summer.
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I applied for whatever deckhand jobs I found
“Applied” how?
“Found” where and how?
Can you cook? Are you telling them?
Don’t just look for advertised job openings. Look for jobs at employers whether they are advertising or not.
Many employers never advertise. It’s all word of mouth and who shows up at the right time and place.
You will have the best luck with small companies that need a warm body on a boat now, and make prompt, practical, needs based decisions.
The Seattle based factory trawler fishing companies are hiring processors for “B Season.” It’s a good place to prove that you can work hard and live on a boat for two or three months. It’s a chance to make some decent money, and prove yourself.
As you have seen, big companies and unions have a lot of HR process and tie themselves up in knots with bullshit. Big companies will tie a boat up for lack of crew rather than adjust the HR process.
Disabled Veteran for what? Hearing loss? PTSD? Bad back? Batshit crazy?
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Referencing the list that was sent to me that I replied to, I copy/pasted them into google and went into their careers sections and applied that way. Can I cook? I can make spaghetti and mac n cheese, along with PBJ and J. Unfortunately, I do not personally know anyone in the industry. Disabled by means of PTSD and had to have back surgery. MSC loves NFFD’ing veterans apparently. But the USCG OK’d me for service on the water.
Call them as well, especially Centerline.
Kirby too since they have a in house training program which they will pay you to attend.
That will get some eyes on your applications.
As said above it’s a bit of luck of the draw.
Where am I we are short people to deck and tank.
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New guy at most of these places will be the one who cooks.
As others will have said here, a deckhand who is a good cook will have an easier time starting from nothing.
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Definitely follow up with phone calls to the list of companies I listed and let them know you are ready to leave today. Sometimes thats all it takes.
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Many of the tug places I applied to just flat out said no already save for maybe 2
Intracoastal Marine in Chesapeake
Robbins Towing in Norfolk
Corman Construction in Baltimore
It depends on who you talk to.
Try to avoid just talking to office ladies. When you do talk to them, ask: who actually makes the hiring decisions. Try to talk to owners, operations managers, port captains, etc., if you can.
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Try Curtin Maritime, a San Diego company but the have dredging jobs going in Norfolk and Baltimore. They are growing fast with quite a fleet of tugs. They hold job fairs and have formal training programs. Their HR is very slow moving.
Also, consider starting out working on a dredge. The dredging companies are really busy and always hiring.
Any luck?
We are short DHs where Im at.
These days, anyone that cannot find half a dozen deckhand jobs in a week must really have something wrong with him.
Maybe not. Some companies have such broken hiring process it’s like pulling teeth to get hired on.
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Norfolk Tug, they were always looking for deckhands when I was there. Do you have any seatime whatsoever? Have you looked into dinner cruises, charter boats etc. sometimes even just a little boat experience will push you over the top when it comes to tug companies. A lot of these places don’t have super large hr departments so you really need to be persistent…
That is very true. HR sucks at larger maritime companies. HR people don’t know how to hire sailors. Sailors do not fit the standard HR mold.
It’s much easier to get hired at small companies. Walk in and talk to somebody (with your bag in your car) on a day when they need somebody, and presto! You are hired.
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