Does any one know if Maersk supply service hire’s American officers or any other foreign company that might? I’ve seen a bunch of Maersk supply and anchor handlers around.
[QUOTE=tony tony tone;80683]Does any one know if Maersk supply service hire’s American officers or any other foreign company that might? I’ve seen a bunch of Maersk supply and anchor handlers around.[/QUOTE]
The Maersk semi drill rigs working in the GOM, have some American officers on them. They are kind of hard to get hired onto though unless you are a real rock star.
I have never seen any Maersk supply boats in the GOM, and only one anchor handler that I can remember. They are plentyful in the north sea, Brazil, and west africa. What area are you refering to?
The Maersk vessels working overseas are more than likely crewed by European officers. They historically don’t like gringo’s, and will only hire one if absolutley necessary, or if they just can not find any European’s to put on thier ships. I know they have a couple that are Brazilian flag now, working in Brazil, that have all Brazilans on them. I am suprized those boats still float.
There are several other foreign company’s that will hire an American officer. Most any of them that have an office in the U.S. will hire Americans. There are 4 or 5 of them that have offices in Houston. They are hard to get on with, and you really have to be “somebody”, with alot of experience on that particular type of vessel. However it can be done, I have worked for 2 of them myself.
I know I’m going to sound like a clown but I’m new to the site, and I was wondering what you guys mean when you say GOM? I know it’s gotta be a location but where is it an what does it stand for? I work on harbor tugs here in the LA/LB ports and have never done any of the overseas things but had thought about it before I got the harbor tug job, hopefully have my 500 ton with master of tow by the end of the year then was thinking about trying to find a job running as mate or captain of an ocean going tug that does allthe cool long overseas towing. I really want to experience all that I can while I can, especially going thru the canal that’s one thing I really want to cross off the bucket list!
Try Gulf of Mexico on for size
And by the way there are very few cool jobs anymore. there are even less nowdays doing long over seas tows.
buzzy12 GOM= GUlf Of Mexico.
chiefRob , I’ve seen Maersk supply and AHT in brazil and in africa as well, i just wanted to get some insight on some Euro companies that might hire American officers . I’ve seen EURO boats overseas and it seems that we have been left behind in the market eg: boats,crew comfort ,equal time and things of that nature . do you or anyone know how comparable the money is?
[QUOTE=tony tony tone;80817]buzzy12 GOM= GUlf Of Mexico.
chiefRob , I’ve seen Maersk supply and AHT in brazil and in africa as well, i just wanted to get some insight on some Euro companies that might hire American officers . I’ve seen EURO boats overseas and it seems that we have been left behind in the market eg: boats,crew comfort ,equal time and things of that nature . do you or anyone know how comparable the money is?[/QUOTE]
I agree the European boats for the most part are much nicer than most others in the world. The two I worked for the salary was very similar to what most guys in the GOM are making now. Benefits are from really good to really squat, that depends on which company. The only ones I know of that the salary is way above is the Norwegians. Most of the other European nations are similar to what you should be making now in the gulf, depending on position.
I have worked on one Marshall Island flag construction boat that had about 80% Norwegian officers. The rest was western european and a couple Americans. I was riding as a first A/E and making the same as the guy from scotland also in my position. The one chief was Norwegian, and he would never tell anyone what he was actually making. That boat was actually owned by a Norwegian company, and it was no seceret who was in charge and who was making the most money. but they still never would tell us $$$$ The other chief was British and he was an outsider as well.
Ya I figured it was gulf of Mexico after I thought about it for a few minutes and read a few posts haha, and I know that foss still does a bunch of overseas tows as well as the company I’m working for now, there are a few companies that still get some of those tows which I wouldn’t mind doing once or twice in my life time
I heard a coonass on the comms on the normand commander the other day…
Haha, reminds me of the times I’ve heard some coonass’ yakking back and forth off the coast of Egypt and off of Brunei in the middle of the night; it seemed sorta surreal. Bottom line, bayou folks get around in this industry.
[QUOTE=tamugly;80860]I heard a coonass on the comms on the normand commander the other day…[/QUOTE]
Who operates this 4560 ton Norwegian flag vessel in the Gulf? Isn’t American crew required in the Gulf? Ja ja !
NORMAND COMMANDER
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Vessel’s Details
Ship Type: Multi purpose offshore vessel
Year Built: 2006
Length x Breadth: 94 m X 20 m
Gross Tonnage: 4560, DeadWeight: 4700 t
Speed recorded (Max / Average): 13.1 / 12.4 knots
Flag: Norway [NO]
Call Sign: LNPW3
IMO: 9349370, MMSI: 258597000
Last Position Received
Area: Mexico Gulf
Latitude / Longitude: 28.95866° / -88.95934° (Map)
Currently in Port:
Last Known Port: PORT FOURCHON
Info Received: 0d 18h 15min ago
Not Currently in Range
Itineraries History
Voyage Related Info (Last Received)
Draught: 6 m
Destination: MP299
ETA: 2012-09-02 13:00
Info Received: 2012-09-02 09:18 (0d, 22h 30min ago)
Recent Port Calls:
No Records Found
Ex Names History
No Records Found
[NORMAND COMMANDER]
Ship Photos: 3
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[QUOTE=tugsailor;80870]Who operates this 4560 ton Norwegian flag vessel in the Gulf? Isn’t American crew required in the Gulf? Ja ja !
NORMAND COMMANDER
Contribute to this page Add to My Fleet
Vessel’s Details
Ship Type: Multi purpose offshore vessel
Year Built: 2006
Length x Breadth: 94 m X 20 m
Gross Tonnage: 4560, DeadWeight: 4700 t
Speed recorded (Max / Average): 13.1 / 12.4 knots
Flag: Norway [NO]
Call Sign: LNPW3
IMO: 9349370, MMSI: 258597000
Last Position Received
Area: Mexico Gulf
Latitude / Longitude: 28.95866° / -88.95934° (Map)
Currently in Port:
Last Known Port: PORT FOURCHON
Info Received: 0d 18h 15min ago
Not Currently in Range
Itineraries History
Voyage Related Info (Last Received)
Draught: 6 m
Destination: MP299
ETA: 2012-09-02 13:00
Info Received: 2012-09-02 09:18 (0d, 22h 30min ago)
Recent Port Calls:
No Records Found
Ex Names History
No Records Found
[NORMAND COMMANDER]
Ship Photos: 3
Upload a photo[/QUOTE]
Normand subsea is the name of the company.
I think they get around the jones act because they don’t haul cargo.
I am not familiar enough with the OCS act to know how they are getting around that. I think c.captain is the all mighty knower of all when it comes to that. There are several of these vessels here working in the gulf just like this one, with many different companies. I will try to do a little reasearch on the OCS act to find out some more about it, and see if this is actually a violation. If so there are a bunch of them doing it.
Do these vessels have to clear customs and immigration every time they come to the dock? Or do they get some sort of blanket clearance while they are routinely working in the Gulf?
Setting aside the OCS manning and visa requirements (whatever they maybe) and the American jobs issue for a moment, I think its probably a net benefit to American boat companies and mariners over the long run to have a few (not too many) of these new high quality Norwegian vessels with highly trained and highly paid Norwegian officers operating in the Gulf. It helps to raise the bar for vessel quality, mariner quality, and compensation for all of us.
As I understand it, the Norwegian mariners are getting a much higher day rate, more time off (fully paid), fully paid travel, much better benefits, and they don’t have to pay any Norwegian or US income taxes when working in the US Gulf. The oil companies seem to be very happy to pay for the extra costs of all this.
We should figure out what the Norwegians are doing right to make themselves so valuable, and we should try to emulate it.
Yes they kind of have to clear customs. It is not like coming from overseas. It is more of giving them a crew list and proving they have only been in the U.S. Gulf and it is basically a rubber stamp. BS in my opinion.
The big issue with these boats is they have to take a pilot every time. The only advantage they have is they don’t come to the dock often. They have a U.S. flag supply boat bring them everything offshore, and they crew change by chopper.
The oil companies brought these boats into the GOM with the excuse that there were no American boats capable of doing the job, or having the same capabilities as the big North sea boats. Well that is slowly becoming not the case anymore. However the oil companies are slow to replace these boats with American flag equipment.
It is kind of a grey area that they are able to still work here. I think the biggest issue is no one is complaning enough, or perhaps we are not complaining to the right people.
I know there are a couple new American flag boats similar to these being built, or are in the initial phases of planning, but they will all be 2 years or more before that turns into jobs for any of us.
That explains the Cajun the poster heard on the NORMAND COMMANDER’s radio; it was probably the pilot.
If a foreign flag vessel can work in the Gulf legally — obviously they can (because all the drill rigs are foreign flag) — then there is no reason that the American boat companies could not buy or build high quality foreign flag vessels and run them in the Gulf, either under a foreign flag or after reflagging them under US register.
Well tugsailor there are already several companies that do just that. HOS, Caldive, Helix, Veolia, heck even ECO has some like that, thier partnership with Island Offshore, to name a few.
I think the Norman Commander is working for BP, doing some subsea work, but I think that boat was on a flotell job around Atlantis, or one of BP’s other big TLP’s
Alot of times those boats will have American crane operators, riggers, sub sea crew, ROV crew even some have an American officer on the bridge or enginie room. It is not common but they do hire American officers randomly. There is no telling what position the cajun voice come from. Even crane operators are on the radio quite often, along with ROV guys, or deck crew. It might have even been a DPO or something, no telling.
[QUOTE=tony tony tone;80817]buzzy12 GOM= GUlf Of Mexico.
chiefRob , I’ve seen Maersk supply and AHT in brazil and in africa as well, i just wanted to get some insight on some Euro companies that might hire American officers . I’ve seen EURO boats overseas and it seems that we have been left behind in the market eg: boats,crew comfort ,equal time and things of that nature . do you or anyone know how comparable the money is?[/QUOTE]
My friend works for Maersk supply on AHTS in west africa, not exactly sure but think a second mate there is on about £38k ($60,401) per year, no income tax, 5 weeks on/off, travel paid, training paid etc… not sure what welfare conditions are like onboard, or what higher ranks are getting. The crew are mainly from UK, Denmark or Eastern Europe.
[QUOTE=follow40;81015]My friend works for Maersk supply on AHTS in west africa, not exactly sure but think a second mate there is on about £38k ($60,401) per year, no income tax, 5 weeks on/off, travel paid, training paid etc… not sure what welfare conditions are like onboard, or what higher ranks are getting. The crew are mainly from UK, Denmark or Eastern Europe.[/QUOTE]
Correct on the wages and staffing.
However, if a US citizen without a residence visa elsewhere, or not staying out the USA for 11 months a year, US income tax is due and payable.
Based on worldwide mariner shortage, US national might have a shot. Try “Atlas4jobs.com” or the Maersk website, where they post the jobs and contact details.
This from here in S. America.