While checking around for jobs as I prepare to EAS from the Marines, I saw Kirby has two posting for Inland deckhands. New Orleans and Baton Rouge. Links Below.
https://maritimecareers-kirbycorp.icims.com/jobs/1120/inland-deckhand/job
https://maritimecareers-kirbycorp.icims.com/jobs/1119/inland-deckhand/job
I’m looking forward to getting into the industry when I get out, but until then, least I can do is help someone else get a job too.
EDIT:
found a third posting:
https://maritimecareers-kirbycorp.icims.com/jobs/1111/inland-deckhand/job
I worked for Florida Marine Transporters for a couple trips. We had quite a few guys come over from Kirby… Seemed like everyone was just a number until they got into the wheelhouse. Not sure if got better or worse since they bought Hoffman. Just an observation so research a few companies; Blessey, Express, Ingram, inland marine, Artco…
Florida Marine pays for flights to the boat and have newer boats…
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Am I understanding this right? They are only offering $124/day for deckhand pay?
"COMPENSATION
$124/DAY, PLUS BENEFITS (MEDICAL/DENTAL/VISION/401K, ETC"
It said 2 on, 2 off, up to 30 day shifts. So let’s assume 28/28 that annual income is just $22,600. How can anyone live like this, especially if they have a family?! Also, is Kirby union? So there are dues monthly to pay as well?
Please tell me I am missing something here. I know there have been cuts or at best stagnation, but I thought/observed going rate these days for an OS deckhand, entry level starts at around $180 and AB $225-$250?
That sounds right for river tugs, despite then being the hardest deckhand work around.
No.
Maybe on offshore tugs. Inland tugs also don’t require ABs so they usually don’t pay anything extra for that.
Wow, that’s tough pay.
Are they getting to go home at night sometimes because they are local? Less money too since it’s easier to stay in touch daily with family via phone calls or WiFi via skype?
Or am I thinking harbor tug jobs where they get to go home after their shift? Or am I just dreaming all around, hahah!?
23 years ago I seen a river deckhand job posting for $60 a day. If it is still the same, only teenagers & guys in their 20’s take those jobs. The older career deckhands are usually from very rural areas in Kentucky, Arkansas, Tennessee & Mississippi where the cost of living is really low. It’s hard physical labor that involves a 6hr on, 6hr off watch. You carry 3ft long metal ratchets & coils of 3/4", 35ft metal wires when building tow. There’s no air conditioning on the barges & sometimes you spend your whole watch under the hot sun with no shade in nearly 100 degree temps. Working as a dechand on the Mississippi or ICW means 3 things, hard work, suffering & low pay. The best an inland barge deckhand can hope for is an easy chemical barge where they can get the loads & discharges & to move up to the better paying Tankerman PIC position.
No going home at night. It’s probably because deckhands have no certification requirements, all they have to do is piss clean and get a TWIC. No STCW, no AB, nothing special. It’s really easy to get random people off the street and office types don’t recognize how important it is to have good and experienced deck crew onboard
I’m in California, so when that deckhand gets back that $1,600/mo net at best will allow you your 28 off in an 80’s van…back down by the river. Lol!!!
That pay is just to start. The company I worked for bumped you up pretty quick. Every 2-3 month you would get about a $15 a day raise until you made it to top lead man. I’m at $215 a day and next trip should be bumped up to top out at $242 for deck. We have to harbors. Those guys go home every night or stay at the bunk houses if they live far. Harbor guys work 2 on 1 off. Live ons work 3 on 3 off. We rarely haven enough people here because it is ball busting physical work on the live on boats (line boats) bigger tows. The harbor guys mainly slap tows together for the line boats and do a lot of dock switches. Not as physical but they usually stay quite busy. They work 12 hour shifts. The line boats depend on the captains. My boat works 12 but a lot of them work 6 hour watches. Like I said its hard to keep people because of the hard work and a lot of times crappy weather. At my company its never to hard to pick up extra work. Most people can get lead in two years sometimes sooner. You can easily get in the wheelhouse within 5 years. Not a bad job if you stick with it. I think I started out at $120 three years ago but the raises come fast as long as you work hard. Like I said you can pick up extra weeks all the time. I came here after the Gulf fell apart and I had an unlimited AB that was no use to them. I don’t regret working here and another thing I can fall back on and add it to my resume.
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@SeaMonkey6969 As I get closer to getting out, would you mind if I PMd you about that company? I’m looking to get my foot in the door anywhere, but I’d prefer to start as a wiper. Engine department seems more aligned with my skills, rather than deck.
The Inland companies appear to look for poorly educated, hardworking, minimum wage laborers. It’s physically hard work, like farming, roofing, pouring concrete, and other types of pick and shovel work.
For most of them, there is no path to the wheelhouse.
Being a master or mate (they call them pilots) on the river requires a lot of specialized barge handling skill and experience.
Savage Services, who bought Settoon and Canal Barge would be 2 companies I would apply to with good room for adavncement on the inland side. Others not mentioned include Genesis, Enterprise (both pipeline companies) but will be on par with Kirby I would imagine. Savage is 2 for 1 and Canal is 1 for 1 (day for day). Most inland companies work 2:1.
From my experiences on the inland side. Deckhands usually start $130/day and Max out $200/day and make 35k year. Tankerman usually Max out just over $300/day for 70-80k/year (depending on schedule worked). Wheelhouse generally is $500-700/day and works out to about 120k depending on what you push and schedule you work. Pushing big tows in the river will get you closer to $700, especially with any tenure.
You are hilarious tugsailor…tell us how you really feel! 
Honestly, that is a pretty good way of putting it. If it is as hard as roofing or farming, why would someone take that job away from home/spouse and the bar where after work they can ease their aching muscles with booze or mmj?
Thanks for the breakdown, nice summary.
First of all, give Tugsailor a break. The dude has spent a small fortune & years of his life studying an industry to get a license that un-educated hillbillies with no transferable skills have mastered with nothing more than hardwork & dumb luck.
And good luck at figuring out why seaman go to sea to end up as broke as farmers & carpenters who have decided to stay on land putting in the same amount of work. If you discover the answer after your husband ships out please let us know, it’s a very old question for us mariners.
“Give tugsailor a break”…wth? I wasn’t insulting him at all, where did you get that from? I thought what he said was funny and sounded about right. I just think it’s a shame corporate thinks they can offer such low wages and feel bad for guys having to work so hard, with so much responsibility at such a tough to live on wage. But hey Sand Pebble go ahead and pick on the new girl, why don’t ya!
No offense intended, just being light hearted.
I’ll be sending him off with some missing teeth so he blends in just fine.