Still quite common depending on what you are referring to as cargo, I’m assuming they’re on the barge pumping/loading.
Many companies do this still but with less crew. Centerline is one.
They have the Mate working as lead PIC setting up and supervising loads/discharges while at the terminal with another pic, usually AB or OS.
Most oil companies require at least 2 PIC on the barge at all times so companies are being cheap and overworking their Mates.
Pay is usually not much more than what the Deckhand/Tankerman makes either.
For an extra $35-40 per day you get the privilege of having ALL of the responsibility of pumping oil and standing Nav watches while underway while babysitting the deckhand PIC’s and tackling all of the bridge duties as well.
If you’re lucky, you will have a captain that actually does something on the Tug and isn’t just a “wake me up when we are approaching the dock” type.
Call me crazy, but they are truly asking a lot these days and the pay isn’t reflecting the responsibility level.
IMO a 2nd Mate (or Mate/Tankerman, whatever you want to call them) with PIC should be at minimum $140k/yr working equal time.
Yup, liquid cargo. Refined product, most of the time, although we did make a couple of trips with veg oil. It was just the two mates that would handle the cargo ops. We did have one captain that decided that during discharge operations, he would take it on his own to muscle open a stuck crossover valve. . . “successfully”. Resulted in a bunch of off spec gasoline. . . whoops. . . .
Very true. I remember Crowley’s 3/Ms on the SIU-manned 650 and 750 ATBs were making $30 more per day than the AB Tankermen. 3/M did cargo as the PIC, plus all the other stuff like driving the tug etc. Not saying the tankermen don’t deserve that pay, because they indeed do; however, for the added liability and responsibility of the mates, you’d think it’s a little more than thirty bucks a day more. Not sure what the payscale looks like these days, however.
Tankermen were historically well respected and well paid as they should be.
When the old K-sea was around they started putting licensed officers in charge of the cargo. Their marketing to their customers was that their investment in cargo was being handled by a licensed officer.
That sparked a round of title changes. Reinauer in their attempt to imitate simply changed the name of the head tankerman position to second mate, implying that an officer was in charge but not actually having one. Apparently this was a big war with the captains and mates but management won.
Bouchard was calling their tanker men barge captains when I was last there in 2010.
Only 566? What do you think these inexperienced 23 year old mommas boys deserve? Half of them just came off the tit. That’s a damn good deal coming straight out of school from a 4 year degree.
That’s why they’re not losing DPOs to supply boats despite paying less than supply boats. The benefits more than make up for it. For 3M and 3AE it’s more of a drastic difference, much more work for much less pay.
Crowley fuels USW contract 2023 daily rates while vessels are crewed up (shoreside shipyard is different)
MASTER $824
C/MATE $641
2/MATE $555
ENGINEER $649
QMED. $569
AB/PIC $515
AB or OS/PIC $455
OS or Wiper $272
***** PLUS END OF SEASON BONUS****
Our bonus is calculated as a percentage of your daily rate based on years of service
1 year =5%
2-4 years =10%
5-9 years =15%
10+ years =20%
For example A 5 year QMED would make $569 + $85 working a 165 day season makes 108K a year for less than even time. In addition there is no ATO/PTO so your time off you are eligible for Alaska state unemployment
401k
automatic 3% employer contribution and up to 6% match
From above QMED example
Employee contribute $6480 (6%)
Employer contributions $9720 (9%)
***** Plus Pension*****
Funded!! (Thanks Biden)
***** Medical******
FREE no monthly cost only copays and deductibles
Not a good deal. Especially for people with families like myself. $100k isn’t shit anymore if you have a family and a house and want to put anything away for extracurricular activities for the kids, retirement, kids’ education, and god forbid a family vacation. Not all of us are “off the tit”.
I agree 100k for 3rds isn’t a good deal any more. Land jobs are getting close to that number for fresh graduates. Most offshore jobs MMP & MEBA thirds make at least 130k for 180days. After all this inflation the past couple years and new contracts, 130k seems to be the new standard
As long as the USA has no universal medical care as most developed countries do it is hard for international companies to justify paying US mariners higher wages when their benefit costs are so high. It’s cheaper to hire a EU mariner at 130,000/yr than a US mariner at 110,000/yr.
True but when the boom subsides it’s easier for a 3AE to find employment if the experience is on a drillship. Sure they work harder but they learn more. I wouldn’t hire a 3AE off a supply boat if I had a 3AE waiting from a drillship. This applies whether a sea going job or land based.