As someone who sailed with MSC between 1978 and 1988, I must admit that their measures have become increasingly more draconian in recent years… In the old days MSC would back off of their bullshit especially when commercial shipping got better- because of the inevitable “suitcase parades”…
This Gangway Up order from MSC has brought nothing but bad tidings and poor morale from it’s inception- just another of the Navy Brass’s way off saying- “Don’t do as I do, Do as I say”, the mere fact that they had the nerve enough to restrict the Civil Service Mariners and Contract Mariners to vessels within the US (I believe against laws and regulations) and then let Navy and Contractor personnel freely on and off their vessels was patently reprehensible.
Now we’re witnessing one of the largest “suitcase parades” in recent memory… The result? Short manned vessels, unhappy crews and a large waste of resources and taxpayer funding… There should be a Congressional Enquiry into this whole mess…
MSC/Navy recently dropped a few very expensive missles in the drink during replenishment operations. They are on the bottom and not likely to be recovered. .Helicopters were involved. I know nothing as Sgnt Shultz would say.
I quit MSC back in August’19 and not looking back. Currently running as 3/M-DPO with HOS and we are hiring. Recently told a cadet that I met in the USNS Arctic to apply with us and he accepted the Cargo Mate spot. Plenty of jobs out there that you can use your skills. Email me your resume I’ll send it to recruiting.
I rode with MSC for 1.5 years and only having 30 days off during that period. Get to be home more often and more $$$.
Poster has provide inaccurate information on gang way up and vaccination policies. MSC policy is available to the public.
Not all ships are gang way up and vaccination is encouraged. Some ships sailing have been gang way down for several weeks. Ask me how I know.
Thereare no ROM restrictions for travel within the US for those who have been vaccinated.
Restrictions aboard in foreign parts is only conteigent on that country’s policy. The sky is not falling. Even face mask requirements on US Naval bases has been lifted for everyone.
If you are gangway up…then the country/ area you are sailing in requires it.
Fact. They would love nothing more than to be rid of civilian mariners. Having been on both sides of the coin (enlisted/civilian), I see the condescension and disrespect. And it is not just with MSC either.
I had to shelter in place (in my case, the ship was within 50 miles of home) for a week which included a test done at the facility. I think they do two tests now sent to two different labs. I haven’t sailed since last yr as I am retiring. I’ll text a couple of friends to see what they are doing now.
I am still shocked by the assumed privilege that US mariners think they have, so you can’t get off a vessel in a foreign port, boohoo, seriously you need to take a look in the mirror, then realize what 99% of all of the other seafarers are still dealing with on foreign vessels.
When you get over your shock maybe you can read a few other posts on the subject. Quite a few have mentioned the fact that “restrictions aboard in foreign parts is only conteigent (sp) on that country’s policy.”
I understand and read that fully, what I don’t understand is the constant complaining about it, or being on the vessel for an extended period of time, more than likely nowhere near some of the foreign seafarers.
Read the damn posts … it is the inconsistency of the policy that generated the anger and resentment.
The fact that it only applies to a few people out of the crowd that is otherwise free to come and go without restriction is more akin to apartheid than any meaningful public health response.
Read ! Civilian mariners on USNS are not allowed off USNS ships but contractors and US Navy people are even in US ports? Sorry to be rude but WTF do you not understand?
Boohoo? This is NOT about Foreign Flag Seafarers- Assumed privilege? Your lack of knowledge with respect to what MSC has “traditionally gotten away with” is astounding. I call your attention to the many lawsuits through the years that MSC has been party to because of their more draconian stances… Forcing crewmembers to undertake longshoreman duties without paying them as per their contract… Berthing crewmembers in central berthing spaces with more than 50 other crewmen…
Let us remember that Civilian Mariners have little or no recourse because they don’t sign shipping articles and are therefore exempted from certain protections… No contracts…
I take exception to your statement about “assumed privilege”- We’re talking about US Flag Merchant Mariners, not our Flag of Convenience counterparts- specifically aboard government owned and operated vessels…
MSC is, to my knowledge- the only deep sea concern which has Officers and Crew doubled up or in the case of the crew- tripled up in berthing- this practice was eliminated in the US Deep Sea fleet in the 1970’s… It’s no wonder that they are seeing a large “suitcase parade” as we speak- with certain concerns attempting to fill the gaps left open… That in itself proves you incorrect.
You are a civilian working as a contractor for the DoD. Rules are completely different, go work private. What don’t all of you understand as a contractor to the US government? Basically considered working out of a SCIF in the eyes of the Administration. All of your ignorance in shown in the lack of understanding of working private vs government. Your job and assignment is the vessel, not a bar on shore, if you can’t understand what you sign up to look after and protect, you can find another job.
And if this has been going on since the 70’s and everyone knows and it’s documented, why is this a topic of discussion? Who is the idiot for taking the job under these known circumstances?
Speaking of “all of your ignorance” : you are not correct. CIVMARs are DoD employees, not contractors. I’ll agree on some points though…it’s shit, and it was shit a while ago, thats what drove me away anyway. But treating some of your civilian employees vastly differently than others for no apparent or offered reasons is BS, thats the point here.
IMO, there’s no “us” in this debate. To each their own. The slight minority of my shipmates think ROM & the long hitches are the best things ever. Especially if the hotel, base or country is lax concerning quarantine requirements, it’s free money. The happy ones are empty nesters or single guys without wife & kids. Others are feed up, willing to call it quits like the OP. We all have our breaking points & stick around for different reasons. For me, screw 2 extra weeks of work for ROM and two weeks less at home so my relief can do 2 weeks in a hotel too. We can’t take the money with us & I prefer to be home, free as much as possible. My advice to the O.P is to play the game to stay home for as long as you can until it blows over. Injury, FLA, mental stress or leave of absence? I don’t know about MSC but I suspect most places would hire you back once you are ready to go back to work if you filled out the correct paperwork & jumped through the right hoops to leave. Hopefully we are in the last scenes of this shit show.
If you dont have an exit strategy to leave MSC then you guys really need to think about one.
MSC wasnt a bad job before 911. All the mariners were relatively cool to each other and the ex-navy guys who tried to bring their navy ways with them didnt last long at MSC.MSC was still good till around 2006 when I left. I came back around 2016 and didnt recognize the organization. The Navy disrespects the civmars on nearly ever level. Heck look at the MSC newsletter which was once devoted to civmar is basically Navy Now. the office is as lazy and unaccountable and they regard civmars as animals. at sea you will experience a toxic culture of favoritism, sexism,unproffessionalism, nepotism, masonic brothership,racism,reverse racism, laziness, gossiping and harassment. What i said doesnt apply if your one of those good ships that gets homesteaded. the average mariner wont get these ships unless someone dies or you are good at kissing rear end.
First of all, MSC mariners are not “Contract Mariners”. They are government employees. I worked there 17 miserable years before quitting in 1997. Last year, I was a “Contract Mariner” onboard a grey hull USNS ship. They locked us down on 21 March 2020, yet, MSC shoreside employees, contractors, Navy brass hats came and went on a daily basis. The ship was in ROS and most of the crew lived nearby, yet were denied their right to go home after work. Utter MSC bullshit.
Hi Seadog, afraid you have your jargon just a little crossed… MSC direct hire Mariners are Civilian Mariners or (CIVMARS) Ship Manager Government Ships employ Contract Mariners- or as you call them CONMARS- BIG difference…