Hi,
i have been a chief on tugs for a long time as well as worked ashore in power plants. I have always worked the northeast but have been hearing rumors that on OSV they are paying engineers substantially more than I am making now on tugs. I have a Chief ltd oceans any hp license.
Does anyone have any 411 as to the veracity of these rumors?
It may be just a rumor but I heard they are not hiring any engineers that comes from tugs anywhere in the GOM. 
I heard that from the guy that ties the lines up at C-port. 
[QUOTE=powerpack1;138203]Hi,
i have been a chief on tugs for a long time as well as worked ashore in power plants. I have always worked the northeast but have been hearing rumors that on OSV they are paying engineers substantially more than I am making now on tugs. I have a Chief ltd oceans any hp license.
Does anyone have any 411 as to the veracity of these rumors?[/QUOTE]
Yes its true. Use the search function in the upper right corner of the screen for details. See the threads "READ THIS FIRST . . . ", and “Knocking on Doors in Louisiana.” See also the job postings under the jobs tab. Harvey Gulf, Otto Candies, Hornbeck Offshore are among the companies paying top money. Edision Chouset Offshore or ECO pays a little less but is the largest. The better paying companies have very rigorous physicals. Tug companies like Crosby and Signet might be worth a look. The good recruiters (company paid) like Core Group, Faststream, and Flagship might be a place to start. The temporary placement (that can lead to a permanent job) companies like C-Mar, Oceanwide, and others, might be a good way to get started.
[QUOTE=AB Murph;138206]It may be just a rumor but I heard they are not hiring any engineers that comes from tugs anywhere in the GOM.
I heard that from the guy that ties the lines up at C-port. ;)[/QUOTE]
I don’t quite understand that answer, possibly you intended to say that they are not hiring any people that have worked on tugs to work on OSV?
If that is what was said I guess I can fathom that since OSV engineer work is totally different from tugboat engineering. I take on fuel usually 2 times in a 3 week hitch at 50k per pop. I transfer fuel to the tankerman on the barge also about 20 k per pop because we are mated with an asphalt barge and they run boilers.
It sounds like an OSV engineer is more like a tankerman that also tends propulsion systems. I have friends that made the switch to OSV from tugs and some say it is much better . I frequently work 16-18 hour days and am up for every docking/ undocking evolution and have no asst. or relief to come on and take charge at noon or midnite. Some guys say the work on OSV is a demanding 12 hours a day on your feet.
Not afraid of learning anew but I am in my 50s and I know these companies like the young bucks that are less prone to back injuries , medical costs, heart attacks etc. I going to try anyways, I have a job making 100+ in 6 mos a year so I’m not starving but… Be nice to make these last 10 years line my mattress thicker.
I think he was being sarcastic.
Was lost on me, obviously .guess I should lighten up or dumb down.
powerpack1 - I had the same background and license as you did when I flew down about a year and a half ago. If you get the Chief OSV 3000 ITC license, put together a decent resume, and can pass the physicals, you will have no problem getting a better paying job. Should you not mind working foreign, would be a big plus. The Northeast salaries and benefits are way behind the Gulf and foreign now. Don’t worry about switching to OSV’s from tugs either, it’s an easy adjustment.
[QUOTE=powerpack1;138536]Was lost on me, obviously .guess I should lighten up or dumb down.[/QUOTE]
My vote is for Lighten Up.
I am a west coast tug guy with a Chief limited 1600/3000i ITC, I was offered a training engineer job, with ECO, equal time also according to a vessel coordinator by the name of Lucas. Then the physical, their doctor would only release me for moderate duty. Their HR people said no dice. So you had better have near perfect health. I have two “anomalies” in my lumbar spine. So I will continue go up and down the west coast on my little piss pot tugboat bucking into that lovely northwest wind.
I feel your pain. I was only released for “moderate duty” as well. Hence no dice for me either. But im going to lose some weight and try again, this time ill pass that PITA physical.