Let everyone know and include the job requirements.
Reinauer is looking for Engineers and Mates.
Engineers with a license- $827.80 a day, edit- we run EMD, MTU and GE mains on our boats, amd John Deere gen sets.
Unlicensed engineers-$773.01 a day
Mates need 200 Ton NC or greater with NY experience, you need Master/Mate of Towing, or a completed TOAR. $835.80
All of the above get a 3% raise on 7/1/26 and a new contract in 2027. There is $50 a day travel included in the day rates, but it’s not subject to the 3% raise.
Application here: or Email AlfredP@Reinauer.com PM me if you have any questions.
It seems insane to me that Licensed Mates w/ Master/Mate of towing and local knowledge only get 63.00/day more than unlicensed mariners.
Note: I am not putting down the unlicensed. More power to them. It just seems unfair for the level of responsibility and investment in the training to not have a greater separation of income.
I was curious by the term “unlicensed” for $773.01 a day? For nearly the last two decades in the field I’m in we call the AB’s, QMED’s, OS’s, wipers & stewards “unlicensed”. They work for licensed officers. But back in the day before Subchapter M, engineers who were underachievers or with literacy problems who were decently smart enough to be a chief but couldn’t take or pass a test for whatever reasons were called “Unlicensed Engineers”. They worked as chief with OS documents or whatever they could get. Hard to believe that’s still a thing? I’m assuming it’s unlicensed chief engineers making the $773.01 a day & not a QMED or other working for a licensed chief engineer?
Yep, still plenty of “unlicensed engineers” in the tugboat world. The tugboat companies will take licensed engineers if they can get them, but if they can’t they will definitely let a QMED,Wiper, deckhand, whoever run the engine room.
There is a big difference between a Deckineer (oil checker and minor repairs), and an unlicensed chief (can change power packs and do major repairs).
Also a big difference between a highly skilled engineer (with or without a license), and a licensed engineer with minimal actual skills.
Also big difference between Tankermen on big multiple product barges, or on small single product barges.
I’ve seen unlicensed engineers who can do a lot, I’ve seen licensed engineers with huge credentials who are seemingly capable of nothing at all, and everything in between.
A lot of it seems to be personal motivation. Some engineers want to take readings, change the oil, and go home. Some seem to want to install new engines in the boat every hitch. It’s nice when you have the guys with the drive AND the technical know-how.
Maybe a case of you get what you pay for? Should be easy to weed out the do nothings, if they just want to change oil send them home and hire someone who is competent. If the company just wants to have an ‘engineer’ on board to say they have one? The captain should be able to move them off. I was always very patient with new 3rd engineers that wanted to work and learn but the ones that didn’t usually didn’t last their probation. But apparently the tug world is different.
The companies I have worked for, do not have extra engineers or actually any extra personnel at all just waiting at the dock to jump on when you fire a guy. That must have been cool back in the day when there was a line of dudes waiting at every job in the whole country but it’s not really like that anymore.
Anyways, I am veering the topic off course and I will stop now.
Back to pay issues.
It used to be you had to know someone held in high regard to just get on the waiting list to maybe get a job at Reinauer.
How times change.
There is NOT a shortage of personnel now, but there is no longer a long line of desperate hopefuls outside the door that are willing to work for low pay.
Anyone who is good and wants to work is working. This is especially true of skilled engineers.
If you want a cheap engineer to fill a billet, you can find one (probably more of a deckhand with some engineering skills), but he probably won’t be a highly skilled engineer. That’s adequate for most local tugs.
If you want a highly skilled engineer, you’re going to have to pay top money to poach him from your competition, or his shoreside gig, drag him out of retirement, or get him to work non-union while he ages his deep sea union card, or wants to work shorter hitches for awhile.
Most tugs do not need licensed engineers.
There are lots of reasons why a highly skilled engineer might not have a license (such as he’s not a US Citizen yet, or he’s been mostly working in construction, logging, or commercial fishing in recent years).
Ummmm…. yeah, that’s kind of frowned upon from the union. Just saying…
true, but how long will you wait to get a shot as a Master at Reinauer? Part of the reason why I’ve had a few buddies leave Western, once you make Captain, you’re not leaving until you retire…
They promote from within for Captain. So if you were a captain when you come here, you’ll be a mate and at the back of the line. However, with 25 boats, there’s a shorter wait then you may expect.
It’s against union rules, but many union members have been doing it for as long as I can remember.
The deep sea unions don’t seem to care about guys moonlighting on tugs. That’s not competing with deep sea union jobs.
I only know of one guy that got jammed up with MEBA, but that was for working non-union at WHOI after he retired from the union.
good to know. Thanks!
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