Its getting hard to sit and watch the qualified professional captains, engineers and a/b’s leave Seacor for better paying jobs. Doesn’t the top brass take notice the pay scale has shifted a lot more than the pathetic raises we have received in the past. Now crew coordinators, the training coordinator and other valued office staff have departed for these companies willing to pay for great qualified professionals.
The past raises were just a pathetic jester to try keep their employees, now the ramification of those gesture’s are being felt.
When a 1600 ton master or engineer can get a $25,000 to$30,000. raise and a/b’s upwards of $20,000.00 - $30,000.00 a year why blame them.
The question is are we who stay literally missing the boat or will we be rewarded for our faithfulness???
One can only remain but so faithful to a sinking ship. There comes a time when you just have to make the call, and ditch. I’d say go before the domino effect leaves you high and dry.
We have boats with majority ex-Seacor hands. We will need to hire 30+ a month to keep pace with the newbuilds. Other companies are in a similar situation strike while the iron is hot. I tried to stay loyal to Turdwater but once things picked up after Katrina/Rita I bolted ASAP.
It still shocks me that Fabrikant is so far behind the curve of keeping a fleet of the most capable modern vessels. They were a powerhouse in the late 90’s but in the last 15 years have been almost completely asleep at the switch. It’s not that they don’t have resources and access to capital to be a strong competitive team.
[QUOTE=“c.captain;122938”]It still shocks me that Fabrikant is so far behind the curve of keeping a fleet of the most capable modern vessels. They were a powerhouse in the late 90’s but in the last 15 years have been almost completely asleep at the switch. It’s not that they don’t have resources and access to capital to be a strong competitive team.
[QUOTE=c.captain;122938]It still shocks me that Fabrikant is so far behind the curve of keeping a fleet of the most capable modern vessels. They were a powerhouse in the late 90’s but in the last 15 years have been almost completely asleep at the switch. It’s not that they don’t have resources and access to capital to be a strong competitive team.
Why?[/QUOTE]
I think, that they see themselves as more of a holding corporation than an operator. They tend to look at the profit/loss statement closer than most operators. If it doesn’t adversely affect the bottom line, then they’ll roll with what they’ve got. Even if it means building a new OSV that has a bow that looks like a urinal. OMG! I almost spit out my coffee when my chief made that comparison last week when we saw that new Seacor boat when we were loading methanol. Fugly.
I guess it’s all about wherever the board considers an acceptable ROI. Not bleeding edge, but as long as the market is good, pretty profitable. Look at all their crewboats. Not huge revenue generators compared to OSVs, but fairly consistent. Conservative is the word I guess I’m looking for.
From what I have seen the larger vessels like the anchor boats set tied up for months at a time. The smaller supply boats get short term contracts or spot job every so often. But the large crewboats stay working. How can the 1600 ton captains and Licensed engineers and A/B’s and Qmed’s complain about money when they set tied up at the dock.
That’s why we are leaving. Looks like they are just concentrating on crew boats. Pay is low and the future is dim. I just left this week. Seacor has been great to me and I miss them already, but this is my job and pay is number one
One of there big anchor boats was cold stacked, (or atleast it looked that way) at a yard in Amelia a couple months ago. Looked like the Vanguard or Vantage hard to tell from the distance. I was just down the bayou from it at Young Memorial doing some SHIT, (special high intensity training) and saw it sitting there with no lights on.
[QUOTE=ChiefRob;123204]One of there big anchor boats was cold stacked, (or atleast it looked that way) at a yard in Amelia a couple months ago. Looked like the Vanguard or Vantage hard to tell from the distance.[/QUOTE]
Those USED to be BIG anchor boats…today they are completely outclassed in every respect.
Rumor is Chouest just acquired that “big” anchor boat and full ownership of the Dove in trade for their two lift boats, the Hawk and Eagle. Navnet heard any other details.
Might not be even but Chouest has been wanting out of those lift boats since they were built, and with Seacor’s acquisition of Superior lift boats it makes sense.
It’s already been done. The guys from the lift boats are spread out within the fleet. I have 4 of them on my boat now. Two crane operators working on deck one cook and another ab cook working deck. Crane operators are waiting for the new new crane boats to come out.
Yea the one in larose has been pushed back a little. It’s pretty much done from what I’ve heard but there are a few delays from the yard where it is going to be finished. As you prob know they can only build it up so much to clear the bridges.
All anybody wants from Seacor’s big anchor boats are the traction winches.
I’m going on 15 years with Seacor, and I’ve been treated very well. Not all the boats sit around, as we’ve been steady with a major driller for the 6 years I’ve been on my current boat. (Not including DWH down time.) I’ve never missed a check, never had one bounce, never had my pay reduced, and never had my time dialed back. There aren’t too many people who’ve worked offshore for the last 15 years that can say none of those things have ever happened to them. (Three of those things happened with my first off-shore employer.) Seacor has treated me well, and I’ve tried to do the same for them by running an efficient, profitable, and safety oriented vessel.
That said, it is frustrating to see so many of my friends and co-workers leave for other companies. Some really great people. Is Seacor withering on the vine? I don’t think so, and have a multitude of reasons for feeling this way that I don’t want to get into here on a public forum. Perhaps they’re being prudent, given the wild swings this industry is famous for and they see long term opportunity given the likelihood of the atmosphere changing here. The company has always maintained an excellent bottom line. I would love to see some material investment in class leading vessels. I would love to be making top dollar. But, I like the boat I’m on. I like the personnel in the office that I deal with, and I’ve been here long enough to give them the opportunity to see where this is going. I might be foolish for staying, but I’ve had plenty of opportunities to jump in the past, and in retrospect I’m glad that I didn’t. I fully accept that I could be making the wrong move by staying, but it’s a story worth following.