The boat is a harbor tug that was working in a port where the only “inside/inland” portion is a fuel dock that is commonly used by commercial fishing boats. The job was to be on standby for a dredging operation going on offshore. We were pretty much working 12 hour days and on telephone standby during the night.
As I stated, I gave my notice, but pretty much quit on the spot(in my mind) when the owners started their crap. I was already looking for a reason to move on(aren’t we all) but his was pretty much the nail in the coffin for me.
As far as the minimum reqs go everyone needs to have a MMD and a twic Card. Operators need minimum appropriate tonnage, towing endorsement, unlimited radar endorsment and radio ops permit.
I just cant for the life of me figgure out why the hell anyone would take a chance like that to hire people who didnt have thier crap together. We work our asses off to get our documents and still have to keep pluging along just to keep them.
Some of the things that are done with these small tugboats here in the Gulf will amaze anyone with commercial seagoing (non oil patch) experience. I handled a claim over ten years ago where a 60’ tug with a compliment of 4 (two captains, two deckhands) was deadheading to central America to pick up a barge to bring back to the States. As you can guess, they never made it. Well, the boat didn’t anyway.
**not just in the GoM…there is currently an Ecoast company whose tug and barge under government contract that makes back to back scheduled runs from the Ecoast into the Caribbean with just a 4 man crew…they are for whatever reason exempt??
As a former seaman and former Class Surveyor, I find that kind of thing to be unprofessional beyond logic. As a current Loss Adjuster, I find it to be a source of work.
suspect many similar situations exist…some time back I worked for couple of years on a T&B container run from Jacksonville to San Juan with only a 5 man crew…the company required that the entire crew be “up” for all port T&B evolutions with no concern for CEM or provision for overtime…the only real “rest” you got was from S/B to S/B??
When I sailed for Crowley, we had 8 on the crew. Captain, two mates (Chief and Second), two deckhands (2ABs and one OS) a cook and the Engineer. Three watch rotation in the wheelhouse and I (Engineer) stood the 8-12 with the Captain. That was when I did most of my maintenance and repairs. The Captain and Engineer had to be on for all evolutions, but at least in San Juan, there was plenty of time to get ashore. Although of all the crew members, I was usually the busiest one in port getting any parts or repairs that I needed and couldn’t get at sea. I was on the Lake Charles/SJ run. It was a union job, with the SIU.
**the company I was referring to was Tidewater on contract to SeaBarge…5 man crew of Capt, Mate, Eng, 2 Deck…barges were 300’ class so typically less than 24 hr port time…that really sucked!!
**when I worked Crowley w/ “mega triple deckers RO/ROs”…6 man crew of Capt, CM, M2, Eng, 2 AB…for port evolutions Capt went on “float”, Mates to 6/6 prior to S/B, Eng available and maintained a “float watch” at all times, off watch AB on “call out” w/ overtime…no overtime for mates for call out or otherwise…SIU was not sympathetic…that work situation sucked too!!
Clear solution was/is that situation within the jurisdiction of the USCG 8th district? I had something to file and when I called the investigative division of the 8th district the voice mails stated they were on vacation?
Just to get into a past employment/It was on a casino vessel (100grt), they had a fire in the engine room. The USCG investigated, the engineer did not have proper doc. The company ended up hiring an AGT chief engineer to get the vessel working again.
Point is the USCG is going to have to get better at enforcing the regulation(s) to the employers. I mean with the changing rules stcw, etc. One just about has to become thier own career lawyer, plus take the classes, assessments,…and when you submit an application. You still are holding your breathe…The way it is now, between travel, temp. lodging, per diem, costs of training to get just a qmed or ab can cost $$18,000 for just an able seamen or qmed?? Then you have to compete against people, that don’t even have the proper documents…etc. IS AN OUTRAGE.
I am sure we have all heard the stories of company’s “random drug testing”. Where mr. doe get’s asked if he can pass doe’s answer not this wk try me in about 2.5wks very well then come back in 2.5 wks and we will do your random then??? The USCG/NMC seems to be slamming it to the mariner with the stcw and rule changing. When they need to be slamming it to the employers’!!
[quote=seadawg;23620]
**when I worked Crowley w/ “mega triple deckers RO/ROs”…6 man crew of Capt, CM, M2, Eng, 2 AB…for port evolutions Capt went on “float”, Mates to 6/6 prior to S/B, Eng available and maintained a “float watch” at all times, off watch AB on “call out” w/ overtime…no overtime for mates for call out or otherwise…SIU was not sympathetic…that work situation sucked too!![/quote]
Ouch, you aren’t kidding. We were towing those same barges out of Lake Charles. We had the same crew compliment even when I scabbed a strike on the West Coast for Crowley, too. Although is is being a scab when you are working under a different union contract?
Yes, but it’s not very accurate. A few months back we were looking up everybody on the ship. It said one guy had 2 licenses. He was out of the academy less than 1 year. And it said I had no STCW, but had my license and MMD correct. The guys gave me so much crap I actually brought it out to show them. It’s a good tool, but not very reliable.
On the flip side, the Marshall Islands has the same such thing on their website. At least they have my info correct.
This crap p**ses me off, I work on uk offshore ships and some of the monkeys we have there. People have tickets up to certain tonnage, then the MCA gives them a letter for more. I don’t know who’s worse the companies or the MCA.
[QUOTE=robc;24101]This crap p**ses me off, I work on uk offshore ships and some of the monkeys we have there. People have tickets up to certain tonnage, then the MCA gives them a letter for more. I don’t know who’s worse the companies or the MCA.[/QUOTE]
The MCA works for the companies. If you really want a laugh, look at MCA yacht licensing.
It doesn’t matter if you are “aware” of the issue or not, if you are the master you are liable for the vessel sailing without proper manning. You are required to verify everyone’s documents reach time they sign on the vessel.
Were you the master or was the “master opposite” you the master? One is the master, the other is the mate, unless you crew change every 12 hours.