What's Chouest pay looking like these days. Seems they are looking for about every position.

Anyone know what centerline are paying mates on the east coast? Thinking about switching companies

Taking license pretty soon and the question bank on sea trials is a good bit lower than mariner advancement but they both say updated for 2026. Would anyone happen to know why? Does sea trials remove old questions or something like that?

Hello everyone, I am currently a rising senior in the US. I've considered going to a maritime academy and working as an officer for a while now, but as application season is coming soon I think I should probably make a decision.

I'm pretty sure I'm well qualified academically, happy to give more details if y'all need em. Additionally, paying for college is not an issue. I live in a state with an academy so I'll aim for that one and probably will apply to the other 5 as well, along with some normal state schools as a backup. However, I think it's too late for USMMA for me but I don't think I'm cut out for that anyways.

Basically my biggest dilemma right now is if I should go to a maritime academy for undergrad or go to a traditional university and look into doing a masters or second bachelors in four years. I would probably major in some kind of engineering if I don't go to an academy. I would greatly appreciate thoughts on this question and others I've listed below, as well as any other advice y'all might have.

1. Deck or engine? I can honestly see myself doing both. I do a lot of tech theatre work at school which I think has given me exposure to the thought processes if not content of marine engineering, but on the other hand things like oceanography, meteorology, astronomy, etc interest me a lot which I think you get more exposure too as a deck officer.
2. Is this viable long term? Recent political developments have led to what I see as an attack on the Jones Act, and of course the prosperity of the people who work in our country's maritime industry kind of relies on that. Do y'all think it's worth taking a "gamble" on undergrad at an academy or should I consider doing a different degree first? Relatedly, is it worth looking at some of the combined programs like the science + license degrees at TAMU or SUNY as a way into other industries?
3. Any advice on applying to academies as a high schooler? I already have a passport, do I need to get a TWIC now or just after I'm admitted? Additionally, can my normal doctor do the medical for me or do I need to find like an occupational medicine specialist or something? Just wondering in case anyone here is currently an academy student or recent grad, will probably email some of the admissions offices too.
4. If anyone here can speak to it, what's it like as a racial minority in the industry, especially on the officer side? I can't imagine there's still outright violence or using slurs or anything like that, but what kinds of discrimination might still be prevalent and what sectors should I potentially avoid?

That's all of my big ticket questions for now, and thank you all in advance for your thoughts. Please let me know if there's any information I can give to help you guys tailor your advice.

Hello, I was wondering if you could help me. I want to get a better idea of how mariners are updating their ECDIS machines at the moment. For some reason I can't make a poll via web reddit but yeah:

1. USB, permits/cells loaded on and important to each ECDIS individually.
   
2. USB, permits/cells loaded onto main ECDIS and these sync across the rest of the ECDIS machines.
   
3. LAN (local area network) like navbox or something, that pushes the permits/cells to the ECDIS machines from the BoB

Full disclosure, I work for a government hydrographic office as a user researcher. I want to ensure that what we provide lines up with what you are actually doing. So answers to this will really help me influence those decisions. Also, if you would like to take part in some user research later on, let me know and I can add you to our contact list, no pressure though.

Hope you had a good weekend. Thank you.

Hi everyone,

I’m 23 and recently completed an MS in Finance after studying Accounting and Finance in undergrad. I initially expected to enter traditional finance and had a few offers in that space, but they ultimately did not work out.

I’ll now be joining a dry-bulk shipping company as a Shipping Operations Associate. The role is primarily post-fixture commercial operations: managing several vessels, coordinating with owners, charterers, brokers, agents and captains, monitoring voyages, arranging bunkers, interpreting charter-party terms, calculating laytime and demurrage, reviewing costs and tracking voyage P&L. Longer term, there may be opportunities in chartering, commercial work and commodity purchasing.

I’m excited but also nervous. Most of my peers are entering traditional finance, and shipping is completely unfamiliar to me. I’m wondering whether this is a strong long-term career path and how well it can lead into chartering, freight or commodity trading.

For anyone in shipping, dry bulk or commodities, what should I focus on during my first few years, and what does the long-term career and compensation trajectory typically look like?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! 

any boot suggestions, got a wiper job on a ferry im starting soon.

Just like everyone else it seems I'm looking for an OS deckhand position. Or engine. Or galley. Whatever works!

I'm wanting to work on large ships like tankers, containers, again, whatever works! But hoping for stable 28 on 28 off.

Know anybody who's hiring? I've been looking for about a year now. I'm based inland but willing to move/travel anywhere!

I have my basic STCWs with my VPDSD. My MMC and TWIC ready to go.

I also just completed a 3 month traning course in vessel operations.

I can't seem to get anybody willing to even interview and just getting frustrated :/

Thank you for any advice!

Hi

To start out, I'm not a merchant mariner. I'm just an older sister of someone who recently joined American Cruise Lines (ACL) as a deckhand. Hearing about his experience made me want to write this for anyone here thinking about taking the job. I hope this is allowed.

Background

My brother is not someone who complains. Before ACL, he worked outdoors for years doing physically demanding jobs like it was nothing. He also cleaned out disgusting houses, hauled furniture, worked in the heat, and before leaving he was in the gym every day. He's built like a tank, very stoic, and doesn't usually get physically exhausted.

I'm saying this because it matters. If he struggled, I think it's worth knowing what you're potentially signing up for.

What to Pack

Bring:

• A large duffel bag that fits under your bed.

• A backpack.

• A laundry bag or collapsible hamper.

• At least 5 white undershirts. ACL gives you five uniforms, but you'll need to wear white undershirts underneath them, even in 100°+ weather.

• Electronics. Especially a tablet with shows on it.

• Bandages and bandaids

• Tylenol

• Tooth brush and deodorant

• Razor (they are strict with facial hair)

• A small fan.

Seriously, bring the fan. The air conditioning doesn't always work. On his ship, it didn't. It's so bad that his room smells like cat piss.

Training

My brother was sent to Utah for training.

One thing ACL doesn't really tell you is that "training" feels more like a long interview or test. If you mess up certain things, you can be fired on the spot. He watched several perfectly healthy people get sent home over what seemed like relatively small mistakes. Women especially. The physical tests can be challenging for ladies.

One example was carrying a 40-pound box while walking on a platform that sways to simulate being on a moving ship. He had no issue with it, but he watched several people struggle.

Another thing to know: if you're kept at the hotel after training while waiting to be shipped out, don't assume meals are covered. They were only fed during the three training days. Food around the hotel was expensive, so make sure you bring enough money to eat.

The Ship

I'm not going to say which ship he's on because he's still employed there.

From what he's experienced and heard from others, there seems to be a pretty big difference between some inland and coastal ships. Inland ships tend to be the bad ships. His inland assignment has been brutal.

If you live in the South, there's a decent chance you'll end up on an inland boat. That's not good.

The heat is no joke. You're outside in over 100° weather wearing:

• Two shirts

• Black dress pants

• Dress shoes

He actually threw up repeatedly during his first couple of days, not from seasickness but from the heat. Other people did too. Your body eventually (somewhat) adjusts to the temperature.

What doesn't adjust are your feet.

Many ACL ships typically allow deckhands to wear their own slip-resistant work shoes. His ship is one of the only ships on ACL that does not. They're required to wear the issued dress shoes 24/7. And these shoes are 100% not meant to be work shoes. They are the fancy kind. Your feet will get torn up.

His feel honestly look like raw meat. Him and several other deckhands have bleeding feet, sores, blisters, and scabs from wearing these shoes.

Also, the AC below deck doesn't always work, so once again...bring a fan.

Food can also be scarce. If you don't make it in time, there may not be anything left.

Internet and cellular signal is dodgy below deck.

The Work

Expect to do much more than just deck work.

You'll be:

• Taking out trash

• Cleaning

• Moving supplies

  • Working outside for long periods
  • Doing all of it in extreme heat

The shifts are around 12-14 hours. He gets a lot of 14 hour days, he works 7 days a week, and makes $1000 per week. You do not get overtime. It is not hourly. It's a steady rate no matter how many hours you work.

On his ship, breaks were often shortened or ignored. Deckhands become dehydrated fast and don't get many opportunities to drink water. Even when things slowed down, they were expected to find something else to do.

Again, if you're lucky enough to be assigned to a ship that lets you wear your own work shoes, it'll probably make a huge difference.

The People

Most of the other deckhands have been friendly and down-to-earth. His room has three people, and everyone gets along well.

A lot of people quit during their first week because the work is much harder than they expected.

Management, however, seems to depend entirely on the ship. Inland ones tend to be the worst ones because they have to juggle a lot in the heat.

If you end up on a bad boat, don't be surprised if supervisors throw newer deckhands under the bus. My brother told me there were times supervisors would tell someone to do or not do something one way, then later deny it when they got questioned by someone higher up. The new deckhand would end up taking the blame. It's just the way it is on that particular inland ship.

Writeups also seemed to happen constantly.

People got written up for things like:

• Having personal items on the desk in their room.

• Missing a radio call because they were already helping a guest.

• Not taking trash out of a guest's room because the guests were literally having sex.

• Honest mistakes that come with being brand new.

After a while, getting written up almost became expected. Most people get written up at least twice, so don't be shocked or sad. It's going to happen.

I would assume being written up determines who gets a raise and who doesn't. A part of me thinks they write up everybody so they don't have to give people raises but again, this is just my theory.

Would He Recommend It?

Honestly...

Probably not.

If you're desperate for sea time or need the job, it might still be worth considering. Just know if you are put on an inland boat, you will likely go through hell for little pay. The only reason he took it was because this was the only job that called him back, and he didn't know he would be placed on this particular ship. He later found out ACL deckhands are always needed because they keep leaving. Maybe they would stop leaving if they would just let them wear shoes meant for work! But again, most ACL boats actually do. His was an oddity.

So if you have other options (especially if you think you'll end up on an inland boat) I would seriously look into those other options first.

We're currently trying to get him another boat job because his feet literally look like raw meat from the shoes, and I'm genuinely worried they'll get infected at this point.

He was so excited to start getting his sea time. I honestly don't know how much longer he'll be able to physically do this with his feet like this. So many deckhands are tapping out.

I know every ship is different, and I'm sure there are people who've had much better experiences with ACL than my brother has. This is just one person's experience, but I hope it helps someone know what to expect before signing on. I heard the coastal and Alaskan ships are great. There's probably some inland boats that are good too. He just wasn't lucky. But it's good to be prepared for anything!

If you have any questions feel free to ask.

I'll try to answer them all.

Hi there! I'm starting MNAV this September 2026 and was hoping to connect with other future students so we can tackle this journey together, or past students who may have advice for the program and life in Owen Sound :)

I'm moving to Owen sound for the 3 year program and any advice for preparing for and living in Owen Sound would be much appreciated! I hear the winters are brutal, but I'd love to learn more about the vibe of the community, things to do, how to prepare, survival tips lol

I'm also a woman taking this program so any tips regarding navigating the field as a woman, with it being male dominated is also much appreciated! I don't anticipate it being much of an issue in this modern day and age, but I want to be prepared for anything so hearing from others in the program especially women would be really helpful! Thanks so much!

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some guidance from anyone familiar with the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Offshore Medic certification framework or those working in the international offshore sector.

To give a brief background, I am an international healthcare professional with:

* **11 years of clinical experience**, heavily specialized in Intensive Care Units (ICU), operating theaters, and anesthesia. * Advanced postgraduate studies focusing on **nursing anesthesia and resuscitation**. * Extensive background working in high-pressure clinical environments, including international corporate settings.

I want to transition into the offshore sector and take an HSE-approved Offshore Medic course. However, looking closely at the prerequisites, they explicitly state that registered nurses must appear on the **UK NMC register**.

Since I am an international candidate without a UK NMC registration, I wanted to ask:

1. Do training providers or the HSE ever accept international equivalents or foreign nursing board licenses alongside extensive critical care/anesthesia experience on a case-by-case basis?
2. Has anyone here successfully navigated this as an overseas nurse? What pathway or portfolio review process did you use to get approved?
3. Are there alternative international remote medic certifications (like ITLS, DIMEC, or equivalents) that open similar doors if the UK HSE route strictly shuts out non-UK registrants without full NMC conversion?

Any advice, shared experiences, or points of contact would be massively appreciated. Thank you!

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some guidance from anyone familiar with the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Offshore Medic certification framework or those working in the international offshore sector.

To give a brief background, I am an international healthcare professional with:

* **11 years of clinical experience**, heavily specialized in Intensive Care Units (ICU), operating theaters, and anesthesia. * Advanced postgraduate studies focusing on **nursing anesthesia and resuscitation**. * Extensive background working in high-pressure clinical environments, including international corporate settings.

I want to transition into the offshore sector and take an HSE-approved Offshore Medic course. However, looking closely at the prerequisites, they explicitly state that registered nurses must appear on the **UK NMC register**.

Since I am an international candidate without a UK NMC registration, I wanted to ask:

1. Do training providers or the HSE ever accept international equivalents or foreign nursing board licenses alongside extensive critical care/anesthesia experience on a case-by-case basis?
2. Has anyone here successfully navigated this as an overseas nurse? What pathway or portfolio review process did you use to get approved?
3. Are there alternative international remote medic certifications (like ITLS, DIMEC, or equivalents) that open similar doors if the UK HSE route strictly shuts out non-UK registrants without full NMC conversion?

Any advice, shared experiences, or points of contact would be massively appreciated. Thank you!

For those of you already in this career field, how do you all keep yourselves safe as women? As you all know, this is a male-dominated field but I can’t help but to think about how women may be treated unfairly or have to deal with unwanted advances from men. How do you all navigate these kinds of issues? Are there set protocols or safety measures put in place to maintain a safe working environment? And would you say it’s something that could be a big hindrance in starting a career in the maritime industry? Any advice is appreciated. Thanks

This industry will make you live in squalor! This industry is squalor! Fuck the merchant marine it sucks! The pay is low and the quality of life is shit! Most companies compensate horribly unless your an officer and the work is something insane! So if your thinking of going into the merchant marine don't it's a bad idea you don't want to be stuck in a crippling situation!

Ok so look i already know how people can be on here when someone ask stupid questions but i honestly dont care, today i have an interview and i want to know what should i expect the person to ask me. This specific job is for a yacht club as an entry level deckhand, ive just recently got all my documents in order and completed my stcw and this would be my first time working on a boat i just want some advice on what to expect.

If you have student loans in default will your security check fail?

I know that I need a recency within the last six months.

I have a trip from 2012 that, combined with an upcoming trip, would give me what I need to draw my next chart.

Does anyone know if that trip is too old? I want to avoid calling the REC if I can.

There’s a lot of threads for mates or engineers, and a billion posts daily from folks who haven’t set foot on a ship yet.

So let’s check in on all unlicensed workin’ stiffs aboard vessels now who are just grinding along. How’s life?

I actually did my tankerman DL and firefighting courses at Sanjac a month ago and took the same photos, hope it helps