I'm a final year high school student and am interested in pursuing a UK CoC through a sponsored deck cadet course at a nautical college. Are there any overseas companies that sponsor international students or do I have to self fund my entire education. I have got an inclination towards cruise line but I don't think there are any opportunities for non UK citizens.

I have been working on tugs for the past 5 years; half of that time as a tankerman/pic. Im intersested in going deep sea on larger vessels. I know i will have tonnage restrictions becase all of my seatime is inland, so i believe after i complete all my schooling i will receive a 500 ton mates license.

So what i really want to know is once i have license in hand can i still work on a 1600 ton ship or better with a 500 ton license so i can get the rest of my time needed to upgrade to an unlimited license.

Sorry if this is a stupid question lol i am pretty ignorant to the industry outside of tugs and barge. Thank you everyone in advance!

Who among you guys can help about marina mismo problem in uploading documents

Hi I'm a BSMT student here in Ph, I don't have any connections(backer) ung the seafaring industry. What is the company that offer cadetship program?

Thanks

Hello everyone, I have two questions as a potential career switcher.

do non-maritime academy degrees count towards anything when starting a career in Maritime? I have a B.S in computer science w/ mathematics minor, and an MBA w/ management concentration, both from non-maritime academy but reputable universities. I don't expect to waltz in and own the place, but do my degrees matter for anything?

Second, how old is too old? I don't see any age restrictions, I'm generally in good health but I'm 40 so I can't just abuse my body like a 20 year old anymore. I'm looking for something a little more active than sitting at a computer all the time.

Thanks for any feedback/answers.

I was wondering how people felt about their time and if its something they would choose to do again inif they could choose?

Hey guys.
I'm seriously considering transferring into a German Maritime academy or college after I finish my current cadetship "sea training" I need advice on how to enroll and how is the study like there. And what to do generally . I really need advice regarding my my enrollment. And study environment . I'm currently considering Bremen or Emden leer for Maritime bachelor degree.

I’ve seen quite a few posts exclaiming the risk a Trump/Republican administration poses to the Jones Act.

I believe that the risk to the Jones Act is real, but mildly overblown.

I believe there are more immediate consequences that affect your maritime job directly.

Two of the more immediate concerns are:

1) The defunding and ultimate dismantling of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

The NLRB is the federal agency that protects the rights of private sector employees. It enforces the National Labor Relations Act which allows unions and other collective employment groups to bargain collectively.

You may or may not work within a union. You may or may not agree with union policies and practices. What you cannot deny is the effect maritime unions have on pay and benefits throughout the industry. Meaning, if you work for a well-paying non-union company that company competes with unions for labor.

Because of that non-union companies must increase wages and benefits to make their employment offers competitive.

Losing the NLRB will allow maritime companies to pay you less and you won't be able to do anything about it.

2) Changing overtime rules.

Trump and the Heritage Foundation plan to change the rules regarding overtime. The changes would allow companies to calculate overtime on a pay-period basis.

Many maritime companies pay overtime based on daily work (thank you unions!). Any time worked over 8 hours in a day is considered overtime. Alternatively, any time worked in a week over 40 hours is considered overtime.

A Trump administration would change that to allow companies to calculate overtime on a bi-weekly basis or a monthly basis.

That means even if you work a 12-14 hour day but work fewer than 80 hours in a two week period you will not earn overtime.

Because of #1 on this list, you will not have the ability to change #2.

What type of vessels does SUP work with? Are they tug boats or ATBs and such? Do they have dedicated cooks?

Hi everyone I'm looking to get qualified and want your recommendations, I'm in London.

Ok, hear me out, this is purely hypothetical. Let’s say i get my 3rd mates license then study to also get a QMED endorsement on my license. Would it be possible to work out a deal with the company/chief engineer to work in the engine room between watches and slowly work my way up?

Hey everyone,

If you’re considering a career at sea or interested in maritime service, I wanted to share info on MARAD’s Student Incentive Program (SIP). This program provides up to $64,000 in financial assistance to help cover tuition and fees for students enrolled at one of six state maritime academies (SMAs). Here’s a list of the participating SMAs:

• California State University Maritime Academy
• Great Lakes Maritime Academy
• Maine Maritime Academy
• Massachusetts Maritime Academy
• State University of New York (SUNY) Maritime College
• Texas A&M Maritime Academy

How It Works:

To qualify for SIP, you must be enrolled in a License Program at one of these SMAs, which means you’ll be working toward your Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC). This license allows you to serve on U.S.-flagged vessels as a deck or engine officer, a crucial skill set for the program and its service obligations.

MARAD offers SIP funding to qualified students who commit to training at an SMA and agree to specific service requirements post-graduation. With SIP, students receive $8,000 per academic year (up to $64,000 over four years), which can make a huge difference in covering educational costs.

Strategic Sealift Officer Commission

Upon graduating, SIP students have the unique opportunity to commission as Strategic Sealift Officers (SSOs) in the U.S. Navy Reserve. SSOs play a critical role in national security, helping to ensure the U.S. can respond effectively to both peacetime and wartime shipping needs. Through this commission, graduates serve as a bridge between the maritime industry and the Navy, keeping our shipping and logistics network resilient and reliable.

Key Benefits of the Program:

• Guaranteed Financial Assistance: Up to $64,000 for students at SMAs.
• Job Security & Career Launch: SIP graduates are highly sought after by government and commercial employers within the maritime and logistics sectors.
• Flexible Service Obligation: In addition to SSO duty, SIP graduates can meet their service requirement through various maritime careers, including working on a U.S.-flagged vessel, shoreside employment in maritime industries, or in a Department of Defense job.
• Networking & Career Advancement: As an SSO, you join a community that values and supports its members, providing career growth opportunities both within and beyond the Navy Reserve.

If you’re passionate about maritime service, MARAD’s SIP could be a great step toward a fulfilling career with meaningful contributions to our national security and commercial logistics. If you have questions or want to know more about eligibility or requirements, feel free to ask!

The National Maritime Center says that beginning on Dec. 1, 2024, it will reject merchant mariner credential applications that are incomplete.

Incomplete applications are those that are missing the following required items:

-- a complete CG-719B on the current version of the form;

-- evidence that the applicant holds a TWIC card or has applied for one;

-- evidence of payment of the required evaluation fee (use of pay.gov is the preferred method of fee payment);

-- evidence of satisfying applicable drug testing requirements.

If an application package is found during initial screening to be missing any of these items, the applicant will be emailed a Notice of Rejected Incomplete Application that indicates what is missing.

If the original submission is rejected, the applicant will have to resubmit the entire application package and include the missing item(s).

The documentation in the incomplete application will not be retained by the NMC or returned to the applicant.

Guidance on how to complete an MMC application can be found on the NMC website.

If submitting via regular mail or other courier service (FedEx, UPS, etc.), please retain a copy of your submission including all your original documents.

Should you have any questions, please contact the NMC Customer Service Center by using the NMC online chat system, by emailing IASKNMC@uscg.mil, or by calling 1-888-IASKNMC (427-5662).

I'm having difficulty weighing my options. IDK how much of my former sea time will be useful to me for credentials (if any), I also have an expired MMC book OUPV 6 pak license from when I captained a small 30ft RHIB doing whale watches and snorkel tours.

I am considering SIU apprentice program but also looking at Cal Maritime academy where I would have instate tuition. Although by the time I would finish a degree there I would be coming up on 42 or even close to 43 years old.

I'm not sure I'll be able to get a pension, so I'm simply looking towards pay and how much I can save up, I plan to spend my off-periods between jobs abroad living in Thailand and travelling SE asia and then coming back to US for find work and go out to sea again. Also, I'll likely try to spend most of my annual time working as opposed to off, in order to get greater earnings.

If unlicensed engine or steward is likely where I will choose to go. If licensed I don't really have any idea, I think I would be open to almost anything.

I know this is a very broad question but if anyone has any insights or opinions they would like to share I would appreciate it.

I have my eng1 medical booked, and I was talking with a few of my crew and they mentioned that they had to have a prostate exam, this is in New Zealand, is this common? They were also in their underwear for the duration of the exam.

Does this sound normal or are they pulling my leg (couldn’t find anything about it online)

Hi all, I'm Aaron from Malaysia. I've attended course for GMDSS GOC - Radio Operator and currently waiting for certificate. I would like ask few questions regarding marine jobs as this is my first time on this field, i have zero experience.

1. What position will i be working as?

2. What kind of vessel i will be working at?

3. How should my career path be like, how should i upgrade myself from Radio Operator? Please state the courses to attend if require.

4. I heard that it is recommend to work contract by contract and not staying permanent in 1 company. Is this true and why?

5. What is the range salary for a fresh RO?

Junior in high school here. I've been flip-flopping between a career in maritime or a career in aircraft. I've just signed up for an aviation aircraft tech class for my senior year, it is an accelerated course of study worth college credit and hosted at an official flight school. The thing is that it is a two-year program, so if i want to continue and complete that, I would have to stay in my state and I would not be able to start a maritime academy until after that year is over. Or I could abandon the aviation course after only 1 year, but that would just seem like I wasted a year since I won't finish the class. Plus, the way my school district has that program set up, it'll cover the cost of 1 year of tuition at the local community college. And I will really only be taking this course, so that's about 2-3hrs Mon-Fri and gives me a lot of freedom.

Originally I planned to start this course junior year so I could complete it during high school (but with the way my classes were arranged, they couldn't fit it into my schedule) and jump straight into a maritime academy. I would then just spend a few decades in the industry working in the engine room on board vessels. The only problem with doing maritime as I grow older is the extended time away from family, so I planned that after I concluded working maritime, I would go back to school to study and get certified for working aircraft maintenance and technology.

My biggest dilemma now is figuring out my year after I graduate.

What do you guys suggest I do? I want to start earning money, which I can either do during the 'gap year' or by immediately going to college to get to work asap. I know I have time to think about this but i am just unsure of what the best way of doing this is. Any thoughts or advice is greatly appreciated

I'm a month away from applying to the maritime academies and devoting what I see as the foreseeable rest of my life to this trade. I'm enthusiastic to get into it, but when I research average pays online I quickly become disparaged. Are figures like this accurate? As it stands right now, without college I'm already making more than the provided figure here.

Has anybody here worked for Beyel brothers or know anything about them? I don’t know anything about them but I know they’re a Florida based tugboat company, which is what I’m looking for.

My license went to “waiting to be assigned to PQE “ on 10/22. How long did it take you from this step to be approved? Mine just expired and now I’m out of work obviously until this steps complete.

Note: I submitted it early September thinking that gave me enough time. Never again.

If you are working for Celebrity Cruise which is the sister company to Royal Caribbean.. How can you be transfer to Royal Caribbean Cruise

I’m considering careers and or colleges related to the maritime field . I would like to attend a maritime college such as mass maritime. However, I’m not the worlds best student. I’m a descent student but still not the best. If their like most college in terms of standards I’ll probs be fine. If their more selective I may not have a great chance of getting in. So was wondering how selective they are.

A buddy of mine (3rd mate) did this on his vessel, is this allowed? As i feel that the lifeline might get stuck while reeling out of the box thing. P.S He’s due for a SIRE 2.0

In short, I've decided I want to sail on the Lakes, but need to know if I'm gonna pass the exam or if I'm wasting my time doing all the other certifications

So chatting with a friend about making the career change into this industry and he suggested I ask what do you hate or strongly dislike about the work you do?

What downsides or challenges did you not discover until you started working as a seafarer?

I'm from Europe. I have no idea where to look for jobs or where could I do my first year ( internship) . Can you guys point me in the direction or share any useful information about this. Thank you

Need help, I work on a small offshore supply boat in PE SA. Yesterday we were out on a job in some nasty weather (35-40kts, 5-7m, 14°C) The company has provided these shitty rainsuits that don't do jack shit against wind or rain or spray even after all 3 crew expressed that they were inadequate, so I wore my own set of Zhik foulies to keep myself not dead. Now my boss is being a total ass about the fact I wasn't wearing uniform. Are there any reasorces available that I can use to cover my own ass??? Right now my only two options are freeze my ass off at work which is totally unsafe or be compliant with the companies uniform.

What's up. I'm sure this place gets a lot of these, but here's my deal

I'm Active Duty USN right now on an SSBN -- got 4 years under the belt and 2 left -- and I'm very interested in going to a maritime academy to eventually become a deck officer. To me it seems the easiest. Same job I do now but without all the bullshit that the navy has. Shit, I watched a video and the watch they stand on tankers I'd KILL for. From what I can see, Merchant Mariners are everything about this job I like and none of the shit that I don't. And the pay's better.

I had some questions about it though, if ya'll could help me out.

I'll be 24 by the time I'm out and not gonna lie, I would be a detriment to the culture by marching, having a spiffy uniform, cadences, all that stuff. If I go to a maritime academy (my thoughts were Mass, but depending on the answers could change to the most relaxed), am I going to be doing all that freshman boot camp shit?
- This also applies to the job. From what I can see on videos of merchant mariners, the standards seem pretty relaxed, but are up to the captain from what I can tell in terms of grooming. I mean, I'm cleaner than the average guy, but missing my long hair and beard are probably in the top 3 reasons i'm getting out of the navy.

What are the benefits of joining after the navy? On a submarine I know my qualifications aren't really that good at transferring, since I'll be going from sailing under the sea to on it. But besides the JST transfer of credits, are there any other benefits of post-military joining these academies?

For good information on the job itself, should I just wait until I ask questions at the academy? Should I ask them before applying? Is there like a resource I could get more information on being a merchant mariner that I'm just not finding?

And this one isn't too important, but what's the travel like when you're on a merchant ship? I'm assuming it's a lot of work not a lot of play when you're in port, but having never hit a port besides my homeport on an SSBN, hitting one that isn't home seems good enough, but is there actually downtime in foreign countries and stuff?

P.S. I'm gonna be 24 and getting BAH with my GI Bill as most/all vets do, am I going to have to live on campus for the first year or would that be a conversation with faculty to figure out? Ngl...I don't think I'd mind beating an 18 year old into picking up after himself...but I feel like I've done my time in the barracks LMAO

If you guys respond, thank you so much for the help and thanks for humoring my questions :D