Work in Mexico

Maritime Employment
1

What work is available for US mariners in Mexico? What does it pay?

2

There should be plenty of work down there, because they’re all up here…

3

http://www.workboat.com/Blogs/WorkBoat-Watch/Will-Mexico-see-more-U-S--OSVs-/?utm_source=NewsLinks&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=InformzNews

4

Practically zero US Flag boats there anymore. The Mexican companies have all of their own DP2 vessels now. I spent 10 years there. Working for Pemex can be a pain.

5

DANN Tampa has a boat in Mexico with US crew.

6

[QUOTE=Mullet Farm;144482]DANN Tampa has a boat in Mexico with US crew.[/QUOTE]

There might be a few US boats there but it will not likely be for any duration. Now that the Oceanografia situation has finally come to a meltdown there could be an occasional job pop up where they will have some US boats there but it will be temporary.

7

Trade winds has a tug down there and HOS has for boats on a seismic job, plus some supply boats that were already there

8

[QUOTE=Traitor Yankee;144608]Trade winds has a tug down there and HOS has for boats on a seismic job, plus some supply boats that were already there[/QUOTE]

The HOS boats that were already there are Mexican flagged. The Hawke could still be there as it was on contract for Halliburton and has been there since it was built, 1998 I think but the big influx of US Flagged vessels is very thin anymore. Used to one could live there as a foreigner and always have work. Not anymore, with Pemex finally opening up to other oil companies that could change. Some jobs there are OK, the common run for Pemex was brutal in the old days before DP. Still a major PITA even with DP.

Del Carmen is OK but has become very expensive, if your vessel draws 11 feet or more you cannot work there. Dos Bocas is kind of like working in a Prison with an occasional day pass just not much in the tiny town of Paraiso. Tuxpan is cool but the boats all tie on the opposite side of the river so it’s a long way to town. Tampico is awesome, go there if you ever get the chance. When you work for Pemex you will be at their mercy. If you have a problem on board the boat goes on downtime the minute it happens. They run the show down there and will make sure that you know it. For every worker there are 15 bosses. The best part is when the weather is bad the port closes and you can go in. You won’t spend days offshore getting your ass kicked like the the good old GOM.

9

A friend was on a tug last winter running anchors in Mexico. At the time he said there was a lot of work in Mexico. I’m curious about doing it this winter

10

North Bank Towing always had work there but not sure anymore, that would be a good place to start. Probably a lot better chance of find work on a tug vs. an OSV. They have a lot of nice equipment down there now flying Mexican flags. With them finally opening up to outside companies this could all change. It’s pretty good working there in the winter because of the port closing during bad weather. If he was running anchors he was probably working with a lay barge. They usually start in before it gets bad so that could be a good gig if you find one.