Question About SUP (2024)

Professional Mariner Forum
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Hey all. Casual lurker here, but made an account to ask this question regarding the SUP.

So I’ll begin with the actual question itself, which is - is it worthwhile for me to join the SUP right now? And further, is it even possible for me as an OS with only a little experience?

So background context - Last year I joined up with SIU, and even moved states in pursuit of this (well, actually I moved states first, then joined up a little later…but anyways), and by the time I had joined, I already had all my docs and certs ready to go. I didnt want to do their apprenticeship program at the time, mostly due to my living situation, and so I called up, walked in to one of the halls, and a couple months later, I got a lucky break and got a temp position as OS on a fuel tanker cause they couldn’t find an AB in time. The contract lasted two months (though I wanted to extend and they said no), and that’s about the extent of my sea time experience (though I admit, I learned a bit, and it was by far the best job I ever had, despite its grueling nature).

The company (Crowley) and SIU wanted to get me trained and endorsed for STOS so that I could stand watch, and I got all that paperwork done and signed off, however this is where the Coast Guard really screwed my pooch here. I faxed the docs to them 3 separate times, and each time i followed up, it was met with an excuse of them not receiving it because of broken fax machines or what have you. Long story short, I ran out of time for the validity of those documents, and basically that meant I would have to start over.

As such, this is where things kinda started turning south for what I thought was a promising start. I occasionaly called the union hall guy who linked me up asking if there were any openings. Each time met with a “no, but I’ll let you know if one comes up.” Its been more than a year since then, and I kinda gave up on this dream (or more politely, I took a “sabbatical”, lol). However, that call of the sea never realy left me, and while I’ve had to move back to my home town in the desert in pursuit of other avenues (which likewise have not been working out), after talking to some people in the pub I frequent, I realized I actualy really wanna go back and try again.

And so with that being said, I’m inquiring here about the state of the SUP right now. I was considering SIU Piney Point program, but I don’t think I wanna go down that route for a couple reasons. I looked over the SUP website, and it states they’re currently adding mariners to their hiring register, but I also saw that they have a training program of their own, but not much info about it. So that brings me here.

I just want to know if it’s both worthwhile and possible for somebody in my position and experience level to get in, because I do want to take this seriously.

Because otherwise, i am giving serious thought to just hightailing it Alaska and getting on a crappy fishing vessel as my only other way back into the industry.

Thanks.

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Maybe consider going to the bayou and knocking on some doors. I don’t know what the hiring is like there now but if you have all the required STCW training you’d be good to go. Supply boats get 1.5 days of sea time for every calendar day worked so you’ll get your AB faster that way and the pay is actually worth it.

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Fuck the corrupt feckless Union obstructionist bastards. You don’t need to put up with their bullshit.

Go to the tugboat companies directly (union or non-union doesn’t matter). Tugboat companies are direct hire they don’t take people from the union hall.

Virtually all the tugboat companies are hiring with nothing more than an OS required: McAllister, Centerline, Dann, Curtin, Tradewinds, and many more.

Don’t get hung up on working for the best company. You are better off working for the worst company with a lot of turnover where you can move up fast.

You only need six months (or 120 - 12 hour days) to get AB Special. The seatime you have now counts.

If you go to an oil transport company, like Centerline, you can become an overpaid Tankerman PIC Barge within a year.

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Using a Fax machine in 2024. Seriously!

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Mistake #1

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Yeah, yeah. I know. Shame on me for being naive and expecting things to actually work in bureaucracy. At least I know better now.

But then, maybe it was for the better…(personally speaking)

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When you say go to the companies directly, do you mean like old school style of standing on pier/dock/port and mulling with someone directly? Or do you mean like giving them a call or email to see if they’re actually hiring? Because I’m in the middle of the desert, and there’s no water either direction of me for several hundred miles, and I’d rather not make a long trek like that unless I have assurance of being hired on board.

Also what area would be the best for that option? California is about a thousand miles west of me, and Texas (Houston) is about the same to the east of me.

I mean I guess I wouldn’t mind working a tugger, but from I heard from others in the industry when I was on the tanker was that tuggers tend to hire internally, that is to say, only people they know. A very insular group. And I was really hoping for deep sea sailing, that’s kinda my goal.

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Try sending emails followed up by calling on the phone. Be persistent.

In addition to tugs, also try the Washington State Ferries (STCW generally not required) and the Alaska Marine Highway.

There are many tug companies desperate to hire new entry level crewmen.

The New York companies used to fit that insular club description years ago. Now, even McAllister is hiring for virtually all positions.

The tug companies, like Dann seem to be always hiring.

Soon, the Great Lakes companies will start hiring for next season. No STCW required.

You need probably three months of seatime to get AB Special and AB OSV.

The Gulf Coast tug and OSV companies are mostly an apply in person type of deal. Do a roadtrip.

The job boards: Indeed.com. Simplyhired.com monster.com etc. all have job listings. Fill out online applications and follow that up with phone calls.

PM your resume to me, and I might pass it along to someone that is hiring.

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What matters is how close you are to an airport and if you are getting paid travel if you decide to shop around for a spot on a tugboat.

If i recall correctly SUP is a west coast union and knowing how difficult things can be, if you really wanted to sail with them it may involve a trip to SF/Oakland (not sure if they have a hall in LA.)

Consider trying tugboats. Make some money, get some experience and if it isn’t for you pursue deep sea ships again. Like others have stated, be persistent, make some phone calls and emails.

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They do. They share the same building as the MMP union hall.

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Tug companies that are SIU are usually required to hire deckhands from the hall. They can only direct hire officers. Very few that I’m aware of have a spot for an OS other than as cook.

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That would probably be true for a company like Crowley.

Crowley is the only company with SIU boats that I can think of that operates on the West Coast.

Most of the smaller companies have OS positions.

Technically, the IBU companies are supposed to hire from the Union, but as a practical matter the companies can hire anyone they want.

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Hiring directly for offshore jobs is easier…harder and harder to find people that want to do 30/30, 45/45, etc. Harbor jobs, i think they rarely HAVE to hire directly.

I’d say over the last 20+ years at least from what I’ve seen, less tugboat guys are willing to sit in a hall and pay dues with no guarantee of a job. Why do that when you can go for the sure thing, especially when over the years the union wages aren’t exactly inline with the non union jobs. The IBU in California has always been a tough nut to crack, because they’ve always had a big enough pool of interest with mariners that have no desire whatsoever to travel for work-no matter the money. They’ll work sporadically, on call basically for years until they get a schedule. A lot of the LA/LB guys know they can make a hundred or two more a day and actually have a schedule…doesn’t matter to most of them.

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Non-union jobs often pay more, but have fewer benefits. Today, most guys are not planning to do it for long enough to get a pension, so benefits don’t matter. They just want the money now.

A new Mariner that is willing to work is probably better off starting out non-union. Work more for more money and accumulate seatime to move up faster.

The smaller Mom & Pop companies are usually the most enjoyable places to work, and the easiest place to get an instant decision with no bullshit.

Most of the bigger companies HR departments cannot make decision in less than a month, if ever.

If you aspire to work in the Pacific Northwest or Alaska, you should usually plan on working at least 60-90 days on. The harbor jobs that are 7-14 days on are almost impossible to get.

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You can join SUP, but the only OS jobs I know about with them are on the government owned LMSR’s.

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Hey all, sorry if im not responding to everyone, I’m a bit post-shy until ive had a couple drinks in me…

But rest assured I’ve read and am reading them all.

If what is said is true, and tuggers are hiring or will still be hiring for the spring season next year, I may actually make the road trips necessary (after email/phone correspondance first ofc). I mean, the more I really think about it, I’m kinda miserable here on land, and iI yearn deeply to be on the water again, even if my only (viable) option is on a tugger for the time being. Whatever gets me those sea days necessary. Im 28, but I’d really like to get back to deep sea before I hit 30.

I figured SUP would be my best bet, but I suppose thats just me being naive again and still holding out hope that things are still like in the old days where you just showed up on a dock one day, declared yourself a fit and able working man, and got a crew position same day (though that’s probably rose-tinted historical embellishment too…)

Anyways, I’m not going to do anything right now, since its holiday season, and I’ve got affairs to get in order, but come New Years, I think im going to start grinding seriously again. Surelt I should be able to leverage even my meagre 60 days sea time in my favor, hopefully. The whole experience with SIU demoralized me for sure, but I think my calling to the sea is greater. I really do miss it.

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Maybe its a mobile thing, but I dont see an option for PM/DM.

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If you’re going to go work on tugs it would be a good idea to stop calling them “tuggers” first.

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My bad, dawg, haha