How do get a job working on Ocean going ships?

Factual Questions
1

I went to Angel Island this weekend and while standing on the deck of the Ferry that took us there I could see many ships sitting or cruising around the San Fransico Bay. I could see people running around on the stairs or doing things up on the bridge of their ship. I thought about how much fun it might be to sail around the oceans and be in a new port every couple of weeks. Then I got to thinking,“If I really wanted to do that, how would I get that job?”

I am in no way considering becoming a shipman on one of those huge cargo ships, but the question got me thinkin’. So I put it to you Dopers out there, how does someone get a job like this???

2

YOu call the ferry company.

3

I’d think that joining the Navy/Coast Guard/Merchant Marine/fishing vessel crew would be a way to start. Or, if you’re in for a slightly more esoteric route, you might try NOAA or something like that.

You might also try stowing away, but that seems a mite risky :wink:

4

Well if you want to cruise the oceans and see different ports, but not on a cargo ship, you would join the Navy. Or possibly the Coast Guard (as I did, 10 down, 20 to go), or get a job on a cruise ship. If you’re looking for a job on one of them harbor cruisin’ boats, i.e., tugs, ferries, pilots, etc, then you need to get skilled. Most boats don’t exactly hire passengers, you know what I mean? People on smaller commercial boats are gainfully employed as some kind of Deck related or Engineering related apprentice, journeyman or master. So, if you really dont know much about deck or engineering related marine work, and want to go to sea, see different ports every few days, and don’t want to work on merchant ships- call the cruise ship companies. I dont know for sure, but I’ll bet them guys and gals have a pretty good time :wink:

C

5

If you simply wanted to ship out as a deckhand or stoker/wiper, your best bet would be to look up your local maritime union hall and ask how to join. The grunt laborers do not require any special skills that they won’t teach you aboard; the trick is to get aboard. Once aboard as a deckhand, you can begin studying and accruing time at sea. Once you have established the minimum number of days at sea, you can apply to the U.S. Coast Guard to test for your Able Bodied Seaman’s card (or AB Ticket), which entitles you to more pay and the ability to work your way up to either bo’s’un or wheelsman.

To ship as an ocifer, you have to graduate from a maritime academy (there are a surprising number of them in the U.S., considering how small our merchant marine is). The really big one at King’s Point, New York is treated as a “Service Academy” just as Annapolis or West Point and requires a nomination by a member of Congress. The others are simply specialized colleges (alone or within universities) that crank out merchant marine officer candidates.

Tom~ OS

6

You can try the oil fields in the Gulf of Mexico, and work your way up. For example, southern Bayou Lafourche in Louisiana is practically lined with small utility boat companies that work in the Gulf, usually servicing the oil companies. They frequently hire unskilled deckhands right off the street. (Got to pass a drug test and a physical.)

The pay isn’t too hot and the jobs are often dangerous and unpleasant, but you work until you have accumulated enough ‘sea time’ to go to school, pass a Coast Guard test, and advance to a higher rank. Many young men start out as unskilled deckhands, get licensed as an AB (Able-Bodied Seaman), move on to the bigger boats (work boats) and bigger companies, keep advancing through accumulated sea time, school, and Coast Guard licensing, and either move on to ships or go overseas on an oil field boat. You can also jump over to tug boats and end up on overseas tug boats.

If you can take the danger, the discomfort, the low pay, and all of the crap you’ll be handed, you can advance pretty quickly in the Merchant Marine in the oil fields. I worked as a lowly deckhand for 3 or 4 years, which gave me enough sea time and enough experience to go to Captains School for my 100 ton captain’s license. I became a Merchant Marine officer, 100 ton Near Coastal Master (limited to coastal waters (200 miles)) of the U.S and its inland waters. My license qualified me to operate any passenger carrying motor vessel 100 tons or less, and included tug boats, fishing boats, tour boats, and oil field boats. I also tested for and acquired a Grade B Tankerman’s license so I could pump diesel fuel, etc. After a few years as a captain, I actually had enough sea time to apply for a 1000 ton Master license, but never saw any point in it as I didn’t want to work on the bigger boats.

It’s not hard to get hired (there’s no union in the Gulf marine services) and there are several ways you can go once you get started. Unlimited AB, Mate, Captain, Engineer - heck, you only have to have common sense, decent intelligence, and not be a ‘seasicker’!

7

!!!DAYIUZ!!!

I am assuming you aren’t interested in a job on a little ferry ship but more like a major cruise ship such as Carnival, princess and so forth.

I am doing the same thing and am just getting ready to send out a ton of resumes to get a job. I ordered a small pamphlet book thing with all the addresses what jobs there are how much they pay and so forth. If this is what you are interested in email me and maybe we can work something out for the info. It cost me a couplea’ bones so…

just let me know if this is what you are interested in and anyone else who wants to.

quisling@hotmail.com

8

As someone who works for those very shipping companies, I can assure you that tomndebb got it just right.

9

I tried hotjobs.com search for ‘deckhands’ didn’t show anything. nuts.

10

Hey guys, thanks for all the info. I wasn’t at all thinking about joining a Union or in any way trying to get a job on a ship. I was just wondering how one got a job on those big ships.

All the info you guys wrote about was all new to me, except for the Merchant Marine Officer Canidate stuff, I kinda suspected that was involved. So thanks again.