Crew Jobs

Discussion board focusing on Great Lakes Shipping Question & Answer. From beginner to expert all posts are welcome.
Guest

Re: Crew Jobs

Unread post by Guest »

Central Marine can use reliefs in the deck and Engine departments right now!! The Sykes is running about 2 deckhands short and the engine room could use an oiler for reliefs. Don't be shy! Give them a call!!
Guest

Re: Crew Jobs

Unread post by Guest »

Beardy wrote: June 29, 2022, 3:05 pm protecting your health and potential lawsuits against them.
Oh that's it! I thought we all had to look like Nancy's boys just so the company can project that professional image. 'Look at how cleanly shaven and professional our boys look, look at all the diversity in the lower ranks, our customers really like seeing the diverse clean shaven boys on facebook.' lawsuits?, Remind me how many Great Lakes shipping companies out there have a diverse lot in the officer section? That seems like a lawsuit I would find entertaining.

Regards,
Nancy
Beardy

Re: Crew Jobs

Unread post by Beardy »

To the guys complaining about beards, you do understand how respirators work right? These boats are covered in lead paint, and respirators do not seal optimally with lots of facial hair. Yea, shame on the company for protecting your health and potential lawsuits against them.
Guest

Re: Crew Jobs

Unread post by Guest »

Don't be to shy to contact Central Marine either. Yes their fleet composition is 2 boats currently; one of which is a steamer, but they are well maintained for their age, pay is very good and they are also hiring. Their 2 boats will not be going to the wall any quicker then any of the other fleets, in fact time has proven that their boats (the self-unloaders) usually weather the downturns better than others. If you are looking for a good place to start your career CML is a very good option.
Guest

Re: Crew Jobs

Unread post by Guest »

This:
TugboatDonny wrote: June 18, 2022, 12:18 am VTB or Grand River are the best options out there.
As stated below, Interlake is only Facebook deep, and the rotations are completely unpredictable.
I'd say start out by applying at VTB and GRN, and see who gets back to you first.
Solid advice right here. VTB and grand river are the only ones with an actual rotation. At Interlake, CML and Great Lakes you start with 2 weeks of vacation. They always promise more and that's the unions set up, but try and go home for a month and you will have a whole boat looking at you cross-eyed and scowling "you ain't got no vacation! You can't go home!!"

Those fleets are a joke. Stick to fleets that actually have sailor schedules. Apply to vtb and grand and see who calls first. You'll regret the other three.
TugboatDonny

Re: Crew Jobs

Unread post by TugboatDonny »

VTB or Grand River are the best options out there.
As stated below, Interlake is only Facebook deep, and the rotations are completely unpredictable.
I'd say start out by applying at VTB and GRN, and see who gets back to you first.
Guest

Re: Crew Jobs

Unread post by Guest »

VTB is hiring!
Guest

Re: Crew Jobs

Unread post by Guest »

Interlake is actually a great place if you are looking to make some good fast money. A lot of the people on here talk about vacation, but when you are new they will literally let you go back home when you want and give you however much time you want off. The only thing is when you do get some seniority days behind you, then they will use that against you yo get you to work on their schedule. I started last year and had more time off than the most senior guy on deck and didn't really miss out on much back home. This year I already have my days all figured out and will be taking about three months off, two in the summer and one for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Guest

Re: Crew Jobs

Unread post by Guest »

up north George wrote:Andrie Inc. hires OS top pay tug/barge most ATB's. 4on2 off paid travel. 12 hour days so you work but you make $!
In addition to good pay and a rotation places like Andrie, VTB and Port City are good for new guys as on a Tug Barge you will get experience in everything, not just running a hose and pulling wire. By the time you've gotten your AB ticket you'll have already been running winches and had your hands in everything on deck.
Guest

Re: Crew Jobs

Unread post by Guest »

I've sailed for Grand River, American steamship, Great Lakes Fleet, Central Marine, and Port City. Definitely stay away from Grand River, it's just not worth it. And if it was five years ago I'd say asc was a good Fleet to work for, but not since rand got their hands on it, it's basically Grand River with thousand Footers now. Never sailed with Interlake but I haven't heard too many complaints about them. As far as the other the other fleets I don't have any complaints
Guest

Re: Crew Jobs

Unread post by Guest »

In a nutshell:

Grand River - the one everyone loves to hate, but we are the biggest fleet out here and pay is among the best. The boats aren't pretty but that's the nature of the business.

American Steamship - all that is left are footers, and it probably won't be long before the ASC name gets fully absorbed by Grand.

Great Lakes Fleet - owned by a railroad and for sale. Not much certainty over what the future looks like but wages are better than most.

Interlake Steamship - the next Oglebay Norton and a company with one heck of a poker face, all is good and well until you meet the medical team at Anderson Kelly and they try to take your MND away. No beards, low pay, and you might make it passed the Andesron Kelly exam, but you won't get in "the club" without 15 years seniority.

Central Marine - the last of the "good old days" pay is nice but there are only two boats, one being an old steamer so good luck if times get tough and boats start going to the wall.

Vtb - good pay and the best rotations, but all you get to pick from are tug barge boats.

That's about it for the bigger fleets. There are a lot of smaller companies like Ryba or Malcolm, Andrie, and the G tugs out there that you could consider. Those ones might be better if you are looking at any kind of home life. Aside from VTB and grand river, you can pretty much kiss home goodbye if you get in with the other fleets.
Guest

Re: Crew Jobs

Unread post by Guest »

I will also vote for VTB not just for the pay and benefits, but the vacation rotation is the best on the lakes. I have been with them for a number of years and know people in almost all the other fleets. They all complain about being promised 60/30 and being out a lot longer and getting called back to work early from vacation. Our rotations aren't always perfect but they are pretty much always 28/14. There is a reason we have enough people to fill rotations and other companies have no reliefs - the company AND the crews will treat you right and our guys stick around. You won't find that at Interlake, Great Lakes, Inland, Grand River, or American right now no matter what the recruiters try to sell you.
Guest

Re: Crew Jobs

Unread post by Guest »

Nice post, Interlake is always hiring. Thats the give away right there, that and the senority list that has most at 5 years or less.. Go engine room, but to get there you need to start off as greaser/rover. I completey agree with everything you wrote. Thank you for sharing.
Guest wrote:I worked at Interlake for a while and work at Grand River now. I can give you some first hand know how for each fleet...
up north George

Re: Crew Jobs

Unread post by up north George »

Andrie Inc. hires OS top pay tug/barge most ATB's. 4on2 off paid travel. 12 hour days so you work but you make $!
Guest

Re: Crew Jobs

Unread post by Guest »

chevyduty93 wrote:Hi all,

I am in the middle of getting my Twic and MMD cards, and was hoping to have them soon and start looking for work. I was wondering if anyone here could tell me what the pay is like and things like vacation, benefits, and all that. Plus, I was wondering if anyone on here actually worked for any of the companies that could share what it is like working on their boat and company. Hopefully this process is worth it, I look forward to any replies.

Rob
VTB is a good company to work for as a new OS. Pay is good and vacation schedule is 4 weeks on, 2 off, and they pay for your travel.
Guest

Re: Crew Jobs

Unread post by Guest »

I worked at Interlake for a while and work at Grand River now. I can give you some first hand know how for each fleet.

Interlake

The Good - the rooms are furnished better than any of the boats that I know of, although the newer VTB tugs look like they are just as nice or better. This is about where it ends though.

The Bad - if the company/crew politics don't do you in, the safety rules here will do it. I was on both the thousand footers and the smaller boats. I won't name which one, but I did get a taste for both. Crews are very clicky, and at first I thought it was something unique to the big boats with long runs, then I went to a small boat doing a dock per day and the click was even worse. Just about every boat has one or two guys on it that's been around for a solid 20 years or more, and will treat you like garbage, and this goes on virtually unchecked by the higher ups. On the smaller boat I was on, the bosun was a micromanage extraordinaire, always treating you like it was your first day and telling people "you couldn't be trusted to do anything on your own". There was virtually no option to voice any concerns about it because these guys are in the back pocket of the mate's and captain, so if you say anything - you are the bad guy and basically told pack your bags if you don't like it. Interlake is also the only company on the lakes that won't allow beards of any kind for "safety"

The company puts a lot on Facebook to make things look a lot better than they are, especially with the recruiting specialist. I was told I would be working 60 days on and 30 off, but once I got to the boat I was told that wasn't happening and that new hires didn't get any vacation. One boat I was on had a great galley crew, the other two were terrible. I'm told the benefits weren't bad, but I never did get any information about it from the office, and tried calling the union but the phone number was disconnected. Pay is the lowest per hour rate on the lakes.

Grand River

The Good - Pay is high, with 10 hour days everyday. Crews are friendlier and not many old timers looking to create chaos. We do get decent benefits, not the best out there but we do get something in addition to our higher pay. Rotations are better than the free for all like it was at interlake, and with the newer asc boats coming into the fleet we do have some nicer equipment on the US side. There aren't many "forbidden" jobs for new guys, the guys work hard to train you to do any job even as an os.

The Bad - some of the boats are garbage to work on, especially if you get stuck working the tugs. Our food budget isn't the same as other fleets, but we do have some really good cooks that make the best of what they get and do a good job. I did have worse at interlake, so it's not all bad. Crews are smaller, so you do get left working longer hours a lot. The docks we go to aren't as cake as the ones i did at interlake, feels like we're in the work boat more than anything. Maintenence is a hit or miss thing.

In my experience, interlake gets talked up to be such a great company, but that is only Facebook deep. Lots of people talk trash about Grand River, but the ones that have the most to say have never spent a day on one of our boats. I am happy I came here and can tell you the horror stories are mostly gossip.

If you do come out, it can be a great job to make some decent money and Grand river is an alright place to make it.
Darryl

Re: Crew Jobs

Unread post by Darryl »

Suggest going to lca.org and reading the employment info. That's Lake Carriers Association. BOL!
chevyduty93

Crew Jobs

Unread post by chevyduty93 »

Hi all,

I am in the middle of getting my Twic and MMD cards, and was hoping to have them soon and start looking for work. I was wondering if anyone here could tell me what the pay is like and things like vacation, benefits, and all that. Plus, I was wondering if anyone on here actually worked for any of the companies that could share what it is like working on their boat and company. Hopefully this process is worth it, I look forward to any replies.

Rob
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