Marine Engineering

[maritime20233]

Can any marine engineers or former marine engineers tell me about the job? Did you all enjoy your work as a marine engineer, and what were you daily tasks like? Are you happy that you chose to work in this field?

Just wanted to hear your experiences, thanks!

 

[MaritimeOCS1]

Best single guys job in the world. See the world and get paid doing it! I was blessed and worked on the ship that found the Titanic for a bunch of years and then came ashore.

You do have more land based jobs available to you than the deck side but they get the great views and fresh air at sea!!!

 

[KPEngineer]

Only job I wanted since I was 15, never regretted the choice, and still working in the field 30 plus years later.

How your day goes can be vastly different depending on the type of vessel you are on.

Sailing deep sea it was pretty much all day work doing what is essentially a constant parade of odd jobs. You might be doing some routine maintenance one day, repairing a piece of equipment the next and doing some welding the day after. Every few days you get the duty so you are doing rounds and checking on the general condition of the operating systems.

Sailing on a tug differs even more depending on the type of tug. On a wire boat or hawser boat you can add some deck work to the equation. Making up or breaking tows, tieing the boat up, even some cooking and cleaning. An ATB is more like deep sea but a lot smaller scale and you would have been by yourself. New regulations are adding more licensed engineers to tugs, some are going from a single engineer to three. Bring several books because that will be boring.

On all of the above there is paperwork to fit in and a constant parade of coffee breaks.

 

[cmakin]

I echo what KPE states, except for the part about wanting the job since I was 15. . back then, I wanted to be a fighter pilot, and that is what got me on the Academy track in the first place. At KP, I learned about being an engineer and was sold on it. And like KPE, I sailed on a broad range of vessels. Deep sea, on larger vessels, and especially just out of school, there will be a variety of work, from routine maintenance to cleaning, repairs, standing watch ( for vessels with manned engine rooms), etc. When I sailed on wire boats, I was the only engineer after a training period. I am not sure that happens any longer with STCW regulations. I stood a watch twice a day and did what maintenance, repairs, cleaning, painting, etc. I could. Off watch, I was often busy when alarms would go off, or to finish work that I could not complete while on watch. And there was always some deck work, too. Assisting the deck hands during mooring, running the towing winch (not always, often times the mate would) and other miscellaneous duties. On an ATB, the barge then came into play, maintaining the equipment there, repairing pumps and pump seals, generator and winch maintenance. . . but, man, I sure did a lot of reading back then. We didn't have satellite TV yet, or Internet for that matter. We did have video tapes, and I would always try to bring movies that I recorded while at home off of cable. . . Upon coming ashore, I have had no problems (as yet) getting work. I stayed in the Industry, becoming a Class Surveyor with the American Bureau of Shipping at first. 10 years later, I moved to the Insurance end of things to work as an independent adjuster, primarily energy focused, but with some marine work and offshore when it happens. . . I can tell you, I cannot think of a better way to "grow up" than being a marine engineer. Even during the bad days, it beat the hell out of what other people my age were doing. I was also single for a long time, and while going to sea probably kept me that way for a while, I did enjoy the freedom, so to speak. . . I know that the Industry has changed since I sailed, but even with the current state, I recommend a career in Marine Engineering. It won't be easy, for sure. . . but if I had a chance to do it all over again, I would.

 

[joriebelle]

I'm not an engineer myself so I can't give any of the wonderful information you're getting from all of them, but I DID want to share a little something. My brother graduated from KP in 1987. First he did ocean sailing, then went back to school and got his doctorate in law - did that for a couple of years and hated it and went back to sea. He was Chief Engineer for a shipping line on the Great Lakes and would work 2 months on and then get a month off. He loved it. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2015 after a 19-year battle with cancer. A few months before he passed away, I got to go on his ship (the Alpena) when he was docked for several hours. He took us on a tour and explained a bunch of stuff to my husband (a bit over my head). Anyway, I thought you might enjoy seeing some of these pictures. I thought it was pretty cool, and was amazed at how HUGE it was underneath!

 

[maritime20233]

I'm not an engineer myself so I can't give any of the wonderful information you're getting from all of them, but I DID want to share a little something. My brother graduated from KP in 1987. First he did ocean sailing, then went back to school and got his doctorate in law - did that for a couple of years and hated it and went back to sea. He was Chief Engineer for a shipping line on the Great Lakes and would work 2 months on and then get a month off. He loved it. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2015 after a 19-year battle with cancer. A few months before he passed away, I got to go on his ship (the Alpena) when he was docked for several hours. He took us on a tour and explained a bunch of stuff to my husband (a bit over my head). Anyway, I thought you might enjoy seeing some of these pictures. I thought it was pretty cool, and was amazed at how HUGE it was underneath!

View attachment 2160

Thank you for sharing joriebelle. My condolences. It is quite amazing to see how vast that ship is.

 

[maritime20233]

I echo what KPE states, except for the part about wanting the job since I was 15. . back then, I wanted to be a fighter pilot, and that is what got me on the Academy track in the first place. At KP, I learned about being an engineer and was sold on it. And like KPE, I sailed on a broad range of vessels. Deep sea, on larger vessels, and especially just out of school, there will be a variety of work, from routine maintenance to cleaning, repairs, standing watch ( for vessels with manned engine rooms), etc. When I sailed on wire boats, I was the only engineer after a training period. I am not sure that happens any longer with STCW regulations. I stood a watch twice a day and did what maintenance, repairs, cleaning, painting, etc. I could. Off watch, I was often busy when alarms would go off, or to finish work that I could not complete while on watch. And there was always some deck work, too. Assisting the deck hands during mooring, running the towing winch (not always, often times the mate would) and other miscellaneous duties. On an ATB, the barge then came into play, maintaining the equipment there, repairing pumps and pump seals, generator and winch maintenance. . . but, man, I sure did a lot of reading back then. We didn't have satellite TV yet, or Internet for that matter. We did have video tapes, and I would always try to bring movies that I recorded while at home off of cable. . . Upon coming ashore, I have had no problems (as yet) getting work. I stayed in the Industry, becoming a Class Surveyor with the American Bureau of Shipping at first. 10 years later, I moved to the Insurance end of things to work as an independent adjuster, primarily energy focused, but with some marine work and offshore when it happens. . . I can tell you, I cannot think of a better way to "grow up" than being a marine engineer. Even during the bad days, it beat the hell out of what other people my age were doing. I was also single for a long time, and while going to sea probably kept me that way for a while, I did enjoy the freedom, so to speak. . . I know that the Industry has changed since I sailed, but even with the current state, I recommend a career in Marine Engineering. It won't be easy, for sure. . . but if I had a chance to do it all over again, I would.

How often did you have to renew your USCG license? And how did you go about doing it?

 

[KPEngineer]

USCG licenses are valid for 5 years. It must be current to work on a vessel, but you have one year grace period after the expiration date to renew it.

Renewing without upgrading involves a medical exam, drug test (or letter certifying you are being randomly tested), submission of sea time documents and a letter saying you take part in drills. You may have to redo the STCW safety/firefighting everytime now but I'm not positive. Just send it all electronically to the USCG and they will mail your new license to you most likely in a few weeks.

Upgrading or changing the scope of the license is more involved.

 

[maritime20233]

USCG licenses are valid for 5 years. It must be current to work on a vessel, but you have one year grace period after the expiration date to renew it.

Renewing without upgrading involves a medical exam, drug test (or letter certifying you are being randomly tested), submission of sea time documents and a letter saying you take part in drills. You may have to redo the STCW safety/firefighting everytime now but I'm not positive. Just send it all electronically to the USCG and they will mail your new license to you most likely in a few weeks.

Upgrading or changing the scope of the license is more involved.

Thanks KPEngineer. What are the advantages of shipping out for deep sea sailing? A lot of mids I talk to plan on doing six months on six months off upon graduation. Just curious as to why that is a common plan.

 

[KPEngineer]

Thanks KPEngineer. What are the advantages of shipping out for deep sea sailing? A lot of mids I talk to plan on doing six months on six months off upon graduation. Just curious as to why that is a common plan.

I haven't heard of anyone shipping six months straight on US flag ships, but most schedules typically add up to six months of work in a year and some do more.

Sailing schedules are personal preference. Some people like the routine of a set schedule, some people like the "I work when I want" schedule of shipping out of the union hall. Some people like long hitches and some like short ones. When I was a cadet, the union guys got mad when their contract went from 120 jobs to 90 day jobs because they could afford to live off one 120 day job a year where at 90 days they couldn't.

My personal favorite was the 3 weeks on/off of tugs. 3 weeks is short enough I didn't feel like I was gone forever but 3 weeks at home feels long enough that it was a good stretch at home. 2 weeks was too short at home and 4 weeks was too long to be gone.

 

[cmakin]

Length of time spent at sea depends a whole lot of factors. For deep sea, 90 days or so seems to be the norm. I worked a variety of rotations. On the wire boats, we were supposed to make three trips in a row (about a 21 day round trip, with three days at our "home port". In reality, I almost never got those "two trips" or 6 full weeks off. There was always some reason to go back early. Other times, since I also lived in Lake Charles at the time, I would get called out for work when one of the boats was being drydocked, or for harbor assist for the Friday night sailing. When I sailed on an ATB, I was supposed to work 28 days on, 28 off. The reality was quite different. I almost always worked at least a week or to longer than 4 weeks and would generally come back after being off for three weeks. Since we didn't have a home port and were, at the time, a one vessel division, I avoided working during my time off. I also worked for another company where we would work 28 days on and 28 off. We would all change at one time. Problem was, a couple of times I didn't have a relief, so I had to work a week or so over, but had to come back with the regular crew. Was not the optimal situation in many ways and also my last job at sea. Of course the battle is finding a suitable vessel. There are not a whole lot of options out there these days. Like anything else getting the vessel and route that you want is difficult, at best. As far as 4 weeks away being too long, as a single guy in a town that I didn't grow up in, well it didn't bother me too much. . .

 

[Mr2020]

I haven't heard of anyone shipping six months straight on US flag ships, but most schedules typically add up to six months of work in a year and some do more.

6 months is pretty common for MSC guys.

Renewing without upgrading involves a medical exam, drug test (or letter certifying you are being randomly tested), submission of sea time documents and a letter saying you take part in drills. You may have to redo the STCW safety/firefighting everytime now but I'm not positive. Just send it all electronically to the USCG and they will mail your new license to you most likely in a few weeks.

And yes, you need to re-do STCW, and I believe you need a Radar refresher as well every renewal for your Radar Obs. Unlt'd.

 

[KPEngineer]

6 months is pretty common for MSC guys.


And yes, you need to re-do STCW, and I believe you need a Radar refresher as well every renewal for your Radar Obs. Unlt'd.

Forgot about MSC. From what I understand 6 months can be on the low end for them.

Engineers don’t need a Radar endorsement.

 

[Mr2020]

6 months is pretty common for MSC guys.


And yes, you need to re-do STCW, and I believe you need a Radar refresher as well every renewal for your Radar Obs. Unlt'd.

Forgot about MSC. From what I understand 6 months can be on the low end for them.

Engineers don’t need a Radar endorsement.

On my old MSC ship, the 2nd A/E was on for 8 months, and they only let him off because his wife was having a baby.

 

[KPEngineer]

On my old MSC ship, the 2nd A/E was on for 8 months, and they only let him off because his wife was having a baby.

I used to be at MSC HQ and it was not unheard of for crew to be six months or more OVER their rotation date. I currently work with an ex-CIVMAR and she said she spent 2 years at MSC and was home less than 6 months in that time.

MSC is good for racking up deep sea days fast but otherwise I wouldn't work there.