The one thing that makes me hesitant spending the 8k first on MPT classes is just the 1 year time limit because I’m unsure if I could get the remaining sign offs within that time frame.
Do you know how I can find info on, or get ahold of Lane Victory or Jeremiah O’Brien? are these tug companies? I wouldn’t mind being on volunteer crew for a month or two or three if I could just get my remaining assessments signed off and also learn some valuable experience too at the same time so I’m not so green once I’m looking for my first AS-D job.
The Laner Victory is a Victory, the Jeremiah O’Brien and John W Brown are Liberty ships. While occasionally they do a cruise, they are generally inactive sitting alongside the dock. I do not believe you can get assessments signed off.
Yes. They do. You could go sail as an OS and get time with SIU until you hit the required days to take courses at Piney Point. Its like a month long class (give or take).
Sounds like you’d qualify for AB special and Lifeboatman,
Send an app to request to test for those.
Tests aren’t hard.
And then take the STCW basic training class at MPT
Tug companies don’t differentiate between the AB grades and pay you as an AB for the most part.
Go work on tugs, more specifically ATBs, tonnage will be enough to get your sign offs for all of your assessments and maritime college guys will have a big enough license/STCW endorsements to be able to sign you off.
Not to mention 1.5 days for every 12 hr day on tugs toward upgrading to AB unlimited.
Once you get AS-D and the other STCW endorsements you can transition to deep sea.
Thanks, I think this is my best plan forward. I only worry about how easy or hard it will be to find work on a tug with no tug experience.
I actually qualify for AB Unlimited right now. I have 600 days as deckhand signed off from my previous employers. But it’s all from smaller vessels around 60grt and less.
How to study for the AB and lifeboatman exams without classes? I figured classes would ensure I pass.
I was looking at doing the bundle for AS-D at MPT as I could use this for AB endorsement and basic training STCW and have PSC lifeboat… then later hopefully just upgrade with AS-D and RFPNW STCW once I obtained my remaining NVIC sign offs.
I’d start working asap since you’ll be upgrading soon to get your foot in the door.
The only reason I say AB special is I don’t remember if there was/is a tonnage requirement for unlimited, I know limited is time over 100grt.
Starting out better to get something quicker than going back and forth with the NMC because they are horrendous with processing times and often time make errors. I did the back and forth recently and it’s cost me months in time for a license upgrade.
I don’t know the west coast well, but I’d assume you can apply to places like Centerline that have west coast ATB runs.
I think Vane does too.
I don’t know the west coast centerline policy but East Coast pays travel.
I would also apply to the other tug co’s on the west coast, foss, sause bros etc… do a bit a research, you should be fine with experience on the water already just be sure to list that and follow up persistently with HR/recruiter.
No tonnage limitation on service for AB-Unlimited, but it has to be oceans or Great Lakes (note that near coastal is a sub-set of oceans and counts as oceans for this purpose). The tonnage limit is only for AB-Limited. See 46 CFR 12.403.
