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lightpole posted:REO's are also still around if you have any basic endorsement and the relevant FCC license or whatever it takes. The one on my last ship got 2nds rate and 100 hours guaranteed OT a month. All anyone really wanted was for him to sit in his room and not touch anything but he insisted on sitting around, bugging the mates on the bridge for some reason. What kind of ship was that? Never seen a real live sparky. The vast majority of deck officers have GMDSS licenses anyway, so that plus a shore based maintenance contract and equipment duplication and you're good to go. Cruise ship I was on had an electronic engineer, I don't know if he had a radio op license or what but he did fix our poo poo. Plus anything that can't be done over the phone (Sat or cell), VHF or email is too much trouble to be worth doing. In other news, this contract might stretch out a month (A MONTH!) longer than I thought. Gonna be rollin' in it!
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Dec 16, 2011 12:12
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DP ships often have MEOs due to the power distribution system and electric motors. I guess any ship with a serious diesel electric system (propulsion or passenger ship hotel load) would need a MEO, right? Engineers correct me, please.
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Dec 16, 2011 13:34
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Just a car carrier. He was extremely redundant and drove the mates crazy which is why they just wanted him to sit in his room and get paid a shitload to do nothing. Ships are just required to have people with certain training or licenses on board. REO's are redundant because the mates have all the training and licenses needed. Generally true for engineers as well but everything is case specific.
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Dec 16, 2011 16:46
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for ships electricians in norway they are just regular electricians who take an exam module covering maritime instalations and then "apprentice" for 6 months onboard a ship.
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Dec 17, 2011 22:33
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Just wanted to say that I basically read the thread start to finish over the past few days, it was quite fascinating. My father always tried pushing me into maritime, although it was never my kind of thing. He's a marine biologist, and went on many research cruises/surveys. Have any of you had experience with that, other than ETMPlus?
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Dec 23, 2011 02:54
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FrozenVent posted:What kind of ship was that? Never seen a real live sparky. The vast majority of deck officers have GMDSS licenses anyway, so that plus a shore based maintenance contract and equipment duplication and you're good to go. Cruise ship I was on had an electronic engineer, I don't know if he had a radio op license or what but he did fix our poo poo. Matson still has radio operators and unlicensed electricians. On those LNG ships I was on we had an Automation Engineer and an Electrician. The automation engineer was pretty much god though.
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Dec 24, 2011 16:59
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Absurd Alhazred posted:He's a marine biologist, and went on many research cruises/surveys. Have any of you had experience with that, other than ETMPlus? I did a month as a deckhand on a research boat, but it was mostly just taking the thing out of drydock and supplying; the scientists only showed up two days before I left. Fish Shalami posted:Matson still has radio operators and unlicensed electricians. I`m still weirded out by the concept of a real live radio op. I met one in a bar once, but he worked at a coast station... ('splaining time) The way the GMDSS (Global Maritime Distress and Signal System or something, AKA the radio / communication systems we use nowadays) regulation is written up you need two out of three options to ensure continuity. Usually it's duplication of equipment and a contract with a shore maintenance service, seeing as the third option, the radio tech, wants a pension fund. Might not be a bad idea, we've had nav aids techs onboard here pretty much every time we hit a civilized port for the last month. You'd think they'd hire a guy full time to bounce around the fleet as needed or something, instead of paying like 600$+ every time we need a fuse changed. One company here just created an Electronics Technician unlicensed position for the one ship that they just got that has tons of automated stuff. Don't know what that's gonna be like; sounds like a sweet job and it only pays like two bucks an hour less than a mate. Sure sounds a hell of a lot sweeter than having to bypass the entire automatic system until they can get a tech down from wherever. Anybody got any good Christmas-on-a-boat story? I don't have anything, except the time someone borrowed the ship`s bell to announce Santa's arrival, or the time Halifax CG Radio decided to send everyone an ASCII Christmas tree over Sat-C, distress priority. FrozenVent fucked around with this message at 05:51 on May 13, 2013 |
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Dec 24, 2011 22:10
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Tomorrow I will just do my morning routine from 0600-0730 and then take the rest of the day off and make around 500$ for weekend OT. Been stuck in port since 12/20 and will be here possibly through to '12.
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Dec 25, 2011 02:20
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Absurd Alhazred posted:Just wanted to say that I basically read the thread start to finish over the past few days, it was quite fascinating. My father always tried pushing me into maritime, although it was never my kind of thing. He's a marine biologist, and went on many research cruises/surveys. Have any of you had experience with that, other than ETMPlus? Sure, I used to operate (smallerish)/crew on research vessels, by far the most fun I ever had on boats. The scientists were just a hoot, their time onboard was something, as you might imagine, that they looked forward to not only the data aspect but the never ending practical jokes and general hilarity was a mainstay. One of the things I liked was the toys/instruments, rovs, computer labs, stuff thhese guys had to play with. Amazing! I suppose if I had it to do all over again id lean heavily towards degrees that enabled me to design, build, and pilot subsurface vehicles. the coolest of cool toys IMHO. FrozenVent posted:
Does thieving a pallet of beer out of cargo, Rainier half racks, 55 of em, rate? We made a chain out of the pull tabs that criss crossed the overhead in our stateroom 3 times! Learned how to spray beer out my nose while shotgunning, fun times. Christmas trip potentiometer fucked around with this message at 16:04 on Dec 25, 2011 |
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Dec 25, 2011 15:54
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Santa hung stockings off the ME for us. I got a mini led flashlight, a tractor, a bouncy ball and a ball in a cup, I am totally stoked!
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Dec 25, 2011 16:55
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lightpole posted:Santa hung stockings off the ME for us. I got a mini led flashlight, a tractor, a bouncy ball and a ball in a cup, I am totally stoked! Dude that's awesome! I wish I had a ball in a cup! (DVD player on my laptop died, I gotta stay entertained somehow) How long before one of those bouncy balls get thrown into the E/R at full force? The charterer sent us a bunch of DVDs and video games; we have the coolest charterer ever.
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Dec 25, 2011 21:15
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I don't know but there is a lot of potential for trouble. Luckily we aren't going anywhere in a hurry. We were thinking about moving today but that's not happening. We have to move by Tuesday since the berth is kicking us out for repairs but I'm not sure where to.
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Dec 26, 2011 01:05
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It`s your duty to release one of those balls at full force into the largest enclosed space you can find onboard. I'm dropping one in an empty cargo hold next chance I get. Did you guys bust a shaft or something?
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Dec 26, 2011 01:43
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Just chillin'. We were supposed to shift to anchorage and bunker two days ago then shift again to a different berth to discharge and load but shoreside has been extremely slow and there is a barge sitting in the next berth we are waiting for. We are maybe moving tomorrow for really real this time which means 50/50.
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Dec 26, 2011 02:35
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This is weird. I just joined an FPSO off the NW Australian coast, it's my first time on this sort of ship. I'm not called the Chief Mate, instead it's POT S&O (Production Operations Technician Storage and Offtake), the marine department doesn't run the show, the Captain and I spent the day on deck changing an I.G. valve, nobody is allowed on the bridge (including myself, I think) and the safety culture is bananas. I am not allowed to carry a deck knife until I complete a module of computer based training. And really I'm not even allowed to carry one then because I'm not a rating/OS/AB (they're not called that, they're called General Operations somethings). But they're paying me $1200 a day so I'll just keep my opinions to myself.
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Dec 27, 2011 12:57
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StopShootingMe posted:This is weird. I just joined an FPSO off the NW Australian coast, it's my first time on this sort of ship. I'm not called the Chief Mate, instead it's POT S&O (Production Operations Technician Storage and Offtake), the marine department doesn't run the show, the Captain and I spent the day on deck changing an I.G. valve, nobody is allowed on the bridge (including myself, I think) and the safety culture is bananas. I actually like the way we do things here in Australia. Yes sometimes the HSE (Health, Safety and Environment) Procedures are over the top, but we have some of the lowest LTI (Lost time injury) rates in the world of Oil/Gas. The Old Man is not in charge overall, the OIM (Offshore Installation Manager) is. Also becuase they aren't steaming, you get a 50% reduction in recorded time served at sea. So they suck for cadets.
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Dec 28, 2011 05:10
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So if some guy came wandering out of his school with a shiny new MEC3 in his hand, would he be able to get a job on one of these? I have heard good things about the money.
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Dec 28, 2011 09:35
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Not sure about ginger beers, can't hurt to apply with the main operators. You're a kiwi, yeah? Or was that another guy?
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Dec 31, 2011 05:59
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loving Watchkeeper and STCW rules are loving me. I am perfectly capable of working every second of OT I can possibly have. If you want to knock me off do it on straight time, not a holiday Sunday when the mates can't make up their mind on when we sail and change it from 2000 to 0600 and in between every ten minutes.
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Jan 2, 2012 06:30
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Rest hours can be frustrating, but having been in situations... I can appreciate them. 16 hours a day for a month straight or 8 on, 4 off, 8 on for three days... It's that damned six hour block that's a pain in the rear end, especially when you have to manage five deckhands who will happily work overtime, then come up and go "Welp, got my hours in! Good night!" half an hour into their regular watch, leaving you with no one on deck to ballast and poo poo. It's especially amusing when the other mate neglect to tell you "Oh yeah, we called so and so at stupid o'clock, so be sure to knock him off at 0200!" Or, my favorite, "Are you sure you want us to bolt down this manhole before we knock off? We gotta be up for tie up tomorrow!" A) It's a ten minute job B) We're underway in a goddamn gale warning, bolt the loving manhole C) We are not tying up tomorrow, and even if we are it's in at least ten hours. I got a bad case of the holiday blues. FrozenVent fucked around with this message at 21:05 on Aug 8, 2014 |
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Jan 2, 2012 17:17
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FrozenVent posted:"Are you sure you want us to bolt down this manhole before we knock off? We gotta be up for tie up tomorrow!" Aahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha heard that one so many times StopShootingMe posted:Not sure about ginger beers, can't hurt to apply with the main operators. You're a kiwi, yeah? Or was that another guy? Yeah, I'm a Kiwi.
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Jan 3, 2012 01:18
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Any thoughts on this program? http://seattlecentral.edu/programs/marineengineering/ It looks to be one year + plus seatime, and through a community college, but would the certification and time be a decent start for engineering?
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Jan 6, 2012 04:00
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Format C posted:Any thoughts on this program? http://seattlecentral.edu/programs/marineengineering/ It looks to be one year + plus seatime, and through a community college, but would the certification and time be a decent start for engineering? Edit: removed first impression stuff that was wrong. It can't hurt, mind you. Internships get your name out there and all. How expensive is the program? Edit: reading a bit further we find this quote:Seattle Maritime Academy is offering the Marine Engineering Technology curriculum as a 73-77-credit program. Students successfully completing this rigorous program will be awarded a certificate in Marine Engineering Technology from Seattle Central Community College. In addition, they will be eligible for a U.S. Merchant Mariners Document endorsed with the following engine room (QMED) ratings: Electrician; Oiler; Pumpman; Refrigerating Engineer; and Junior Engineer. If the student's at-sea internship was on a vessel with steam propulsion, he/she will also be eligible for a "fireman/watertender" QMED rating. Furthermore, graduates receive 8 months sea service credit towards a license as Designated Duty Engineer of Steam or Motor Vessels of Not More Than 1,000 Horsepower. This sea service credit is 2/3 of the total required sea service for this license. As long as you understand the limitation of the certifications the program leads to, it seems ok to me. Oilers an alright job if you don't mind working downstairs. FrozenVent fucked around with this message at 05:23 on Jan 6, 2012 |
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Jan 6, 2012 05:18
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Yeah, it's a limited ticket. Similar to what I have but limits you to a rated power. As long as you are well aware of that, you are ok. If you are looking for career/employment, you really want to get a ticket with unlimited.
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Jan 6, 2012 05:31
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Pipe broke, now my entire deck smells like ew. Too cold to open a window. In other news, the other watch managed to overflow a ballast tank, at something like -20C out. The guys were out with the shovels and wooden hammers all day long. (Ok most of that was freezing spray) Oh and I think I ran over a seal today. Fuckers are the laziest thing about, they won't move until the boat is like twenty feet away, if that. Edit: the point of this post is to illustrate the utter boredom of this lifestyle. I got a month to go, why did I ever pick this job? FrozenVent fucked around with this message at 02:21 on Jan 8, 2012 |
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Jan 8, 2012 02:13
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FrozenVent posted:Pipe broke, now my entire deck smells like ew. Too cold to open a window. I have around 34 days to go. We are going to get in to port 5 days before I can get off without quitting and then head north where it has been especially nasty. Furthermore I took an 11.7% pay cut on 1/1 for pension reasons. Fish Salami got out just in time.
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Jan 9, 2012 18:53
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lightpole posted:Fish Salami got out just in time. Whenever you get out, you get out just before it gets worst.
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Jan 10, 2012 21:50
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FrozenVent posted:Whenever you get out, you get out just before it gets worst. OP90 or Solas work hours with an 11 hour work day cuts a further $2700+ off the paycheck, on top of the $5500 or so 11.7%.
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Jan 10, 2012 23:20
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They're capping you guys at 11 hours? I heard the new rule was going to be 14, no idea how they'll manage that, 11 is just impossible. What was the paycut about? New contract?
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Jan 10, 2012 23:43
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What do you engineers use for hearing protection in the engine room? I need to pick up a headset for my training cruise this spring, so any input would be much obliged.
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Jan 10, 2012 23:56
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They should really be issuing you with all your PPE, right?
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Jan 11, 2012 02:49
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StopShootingMe posted:They should really be issuing you with all your PPE, right? They should, yes, but do they? Nope. The school will gladly sell it to you, but I'm just curious as to what people prefer or what to avoid. localized fucked around with this message at 04:22 on Jan 11, 2012 |
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Jan 11, 2012 04:17
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I hate the yellow disposable earplugs most ships have and grab some of my own. Earmuffs usually have better dB ratings but they make my ears sweaty. Im trading my hearing for non sweaty ears basically. Make sure to check the rating on whatever you get. I don't know what the work hours are going to Im just ready to go home. The union is taking 11.7% off the top to recapitalize the pension and rolling benefit multipliers back to 1955 levels. The companies haven't paid into the pension since 1986 and the union says that we have gotten much larger than normal wage and benefit increases instead. Of course these increased wages and benefits just disappeared and any contracts that were negotiated on pension increases instead of wage increases wont even be mentioned. We are getting hosed coming and going. I need to go home.
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Jan 11, 2012 06:32
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lightpole posted:The union is taking 11.7% off the top to recapitalize the pension and rolling benefit multipliers back to 1955 levels. The companies haven't paid into the pension since 1986 and the union says that we have gotten much larger than normal wage and benefit increases instead. Of course these increased wages and benefits just disappeared and any contracts that were negotiated on pension increases instead of wage increases wont even be mentioned. We are getting hosed coming and going. I need to go home. I've read a few years ago about this big merchant marine strike in Israel in 1951 over pay, conditions, etc. It was very personally and professionally expensive for a few of the so-called ringleaders, but they did get better terms overall. I'm sure there were a lot of these occurrences internationally, as well, before and after that. So I'm wondering why actual labor activity, as opposed to just union membership, isn't being brought up among you guys. Is it that it's just no longer part of the culture?
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Jan 14, 2012 01:42
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It still happens, but I think in lightpole's case it's the union screwing the members. We had the mates and engineer of a smallish tanker company go on strike last month; it didn't even slow them down - they managed to find an handfull of scabs, staffed the rest of the berths with captains and chief. Another company got to the brink of strike, but the company came back with "here's twenty dollars more a year for boots, and we'll grandfather the travel reimbursement plan you guys got. Final offer." The words final offer scared the membership into accepting. TL;DR People are scared of missing work/consequences so they take whatever the company gives. Even though they couldn't find enough people to scab a decent sized company nowadays. I don't know if it'll get better or worst when the old guard leaves, but by the time they're all one there won't be any first world people left in this business anymore.
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Jan 14, 2012 02:31
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localized posted:What do you engineers use for hearing protection in the engine room? I need to pick up a headset for my training cruise this spring, so any input would be much obliged. I love my Howard Leight L2N's. They are class five and really comfy. The neckband is better then the over the head type I find.
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Jan 14, 2012 07:13
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FrozenVent posted:It still happens, but I think in lightpole's case it's the union screwing the members. The Israeli strike was against the union. It was somewhat worse than what you guys have because the Israeli Union Federation also owned the shipping company, so you had union bosses who were also on the board of directors of the company. Conflict of interest much? Anyway, I mean, it's always the risk with strikes, losing your job, being blacklisted, all terrifying. Still, if they think 3rd-Worlders are complacent, they haven't been paying attention. Labor unrest is on the rise throughout. They're going to have a rude awakening at some point.
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Jan 14, 2012 07:33
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    This is not supposed to happen with something built in 2006.
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Jan 14, 2012 21:13
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Mahmoud Ahmadinejad posted:This is not supposed to happen with something built in 2006. It's not supposed to happen period. As to how exactly it happened, we won't know until the investigation report comes out - regular media can't tell port from aft. Did they black out before of after the striking? Anybody know?
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Jan 14, 2012 22:50
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Someone at Lloyds just opened a very, very large bottle of scotch at his desk.
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Jan 14, 2012 23:40
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