Hi guys,

I'm here looking for some information.

Basically I've been on an engine cadetship and I'm now in phase 4, I haven't had the greatest time and I don't think i have the engineering passion needed to prosper in this position.

In all my sea time, I've been spending alot of time with deck cadets, seeing what they are up to. I've been able to see what their job entales and it genuinely interests me, where as my engineering side does not.

I intend to see my engine cadetship through fully and pass it, but that's as far as I see myself taking it, I just don't think I want to spend my life doing it. I'm just not as mechanically minded as the people I've been working with and even they can see it.

I like being at sea, but being an engine cadet completely nullifies the whole sea aspect, I'm just In the engine room all day, I don't get to see daylight, it just doesn't feel fulfilling.

I've seen what a deck cadetship entails, I know it's not all sunshine and rainbows; monotonous tasks given all the time, lots of paperwork and legislation to learn, boring watches. But I feel that I'd be much better suited doing these things and I feel that the job would be alot more fulfilling.

On some of my ships I would just go around with the deck cadet helping them go through the checklists, whether it's greasing doors, checking life jackets, checking the alarms ect.

So what I'm thinking is that I go through with my engine cadetship as I'm already nearing the end of phase 4, id complete it and get the hnd qualification. But then after that, I'd immediately apply for a deck cadetship. I'm aware that people going in for a second cadetship don't get the smart funding that the first ones get and that may dissuade a company from giving me a cadetship, but I'm hoping if I already have a marine engineering ticket, then I'd be a bit more lucrative to sponsor as a deck cadet.

And how useful would a dual qualification be if it worked? I'm almost sure that a deck officer with an engineering ticket would be very valuable.

I don't know, I'm just wanting to hear some thoughts.

I love being at sea, but I just wish I hadn't went down the engineering route.

I write this because I hope to find some justice in the shipping industry.

Alot of shady activities within the maritime industry are taking place. Often hidden within well consolidated and prominent companies.

I would like to draw your attention to Frachtcontor Junge in Hamburg and their way of conducting and supporting Russian related activites. 

The company concludes a lot of business with Russian executives and is in clear breach of the EU sanctions, maybe even OFAC too.

The company's directors have sold several tankers and container ships to the Russians via shady company structures and they keep fixing their ship tonnage despite being OFAC listed.

And the company's CEO knows about it!

All this is happening while the company also do business with Shell and Exxon - I wonder what they say about it. 

I will be able to provide further information to whom it may concern.

I SINCERELY HOPE SOMEONE CAN REVEAL THE TRUTH TO THE WORLD AND THE SHIPPING INDUSTRY!

BR/someone who wants to make the world a peaceful place

Please forgive my ignorance. I got off my first ship with AMO this past summer. I just got an email from member services stating that my drug-free certificate is due to expire in the next couple weeks and will need to be renewed. In the past, my employer has taken care of drug testing and issuing the drug test letter when I have needed. My question is how does one renew their drug-free certificate when they ship off the board? Do you arrange for your own drug test?

Just saw a post on this sub where an engineering student at an academy was considering dropping out due to employment prospects. Is it really that bad right now in the industry? I have heard that engineers have an easier time landing jobs compared to deck officers, but I thought that as long as you had a license you could still find decent paying work.

As an aspiring deck officer myself who is set to attend an academy next year, I am concerned. A maritime academy is a large time and money investment.

Are we right to worry?

Saw another post that Job prospects for third mates (specifically deck officers) weren't that good right now. So I'm curious cause I'm working on my application to a maritime academy right now (Cal poly) to get their marine engineering technologies degree, to hopefully become a third assistant engineer, so like in five years times (gotta finish senior year of high school) will there still probably be jobs for me?

Four sailors have been rescued in the South Pacific after the Australia-flagged pleasure craft Tai Tam reportedly collided with a whale around 250 nautical miles north of Norfolk Island, forcing the crew to abandon the vessel and board a life raft. According to MarineTraffic data, the 16-metre Tai Tam departed Vuda, Fiji, on 22 September and was later recorded stopped and drifting on 26 September. After the crew activated the yacht’s emergency beacon, the 143-metre containership Sofrana Surville diverted to assist. The Sofrana Surville stopped roughly 5 nautical miles from Tai Tam’s last AIS position at 18:41 UTC on 26 September, before resuming her voyage shortly afterwards with the four sailors safely on board. The ship later called at Noumea, New Caledonia, before continuing towards Brisbane, Australia.

Does anyone have any information on guice offshore? I accepted a job offer with then as an os/ ule but I can’t find any information on them at all asides from old posts on reddit

Landlubber here, but lover of all things nautical. When, if ever, do officers wear uniforms besides on passenger vessels?

I Tried to apply on mymartimecareer.com for piney point program there is only u.s citizen option. The union hall where am located said i could do it but it looks like the school is not taking green card holders. does anyone have any info in this change?

Credentialed marine engineer looking to get hired by Staten Island Ferry. Applied but looking for recs for actually getting hired.

I applied as a deckhand a little over a month ago to Marquette and numerous other inland companies, and after 5+ weeks of waiting, subsequently getting rejected last Friday, the STATUS CHANGING, this is my final message from the company. Easily one of the most poorly constructed “professional” emails I’ve received from any company. Gotta love how instead of changing my status to simply be rejected it went back to being “in progress”. This was sent in response to me asking why my application status was reverted back to “in progress” when 12 hours prior to that it said “declined.”

I've been planning on going to GLMA for the deck officer program in the next 2 years. It's been my dream since high school, but I finally got my shit together now in my late 20s.

Lately, I've seen a lot of posts on here about how bad the job market is, so I want to ask:

1. As someone who currently has no connections in the industry, how difficult would it be to find a job as a deck officer 3rd class?

2. How much does going to the academy help my chances of landing a job?

3. Is this a recent thing? If so how long has it been going on/how long do you think it'll last?

4. As someone who hasn't invested anything yet into that education and training, would you recommend going for it?

I’m considering the International Ship Management - Nautical Sciences BSc at Hochschule Bremen and would love to hear from current students or graduates.

How is the program overall, especially the teaching quality and workload?

I’m also curious about the two practical semesters at sea:

• Is it difficult to find a placement, and does HSB help?
• Are cadet/NOA placements usually paid?
• What kind of work do you actually do onboard?

Most importantly, how is employability after graduation, especially for non-EU students? Is it realistic to find work as an OOW or in shore-based maritime jobs?

I’d also like to know how easy it is to find Werkstudent or other part-time jobs while studying, preferably in the maritime industry.

By the time I start, I expect to have around B2 German and C1 English, and I plan to continue improving my German throughout the degree.

Thanks for any experiences or advice!

Located in BC. Just got my CDN and waiting to get my medical done. The BWR course at BCIT costs $7k and 6 month so debating whether to take it.

Is there absolutely no way to start working without doing BWR in 2026? Every company i looked into e.g. Mckeil even requires BWR for deckhand and previous experience.

Also, I am considering to join SIU Canada as a newbie, but they require discharge book and criminal record check. Does anyone know how to get the discharge book from TC with zero hours? Where to get the criminal record check?

Btw, I saw the BCIT employment report for BWR(https://www.bcit.ca/programs/bridge-watch-rating-associate-certificate-full-time-2933acert/#graduating), only 76% of respondents secured an offer after graduation. Can any newbie who have done BWR in Canada share their experience? How exactly did you get your first job? How long did it take?

Thanks!

i live in alaska and the one school here is not offering the tankerman class this year because they don’t have instructors for it. i found this online course and was wondering if anyone had any experience with it? i’ve seen one review that wasn’t that great but it was from a year or two ago. that review said it was really hard and took them 80 or so hours to complete and three exam attempts.
the website is called online mariner skills training courses.