Which port?

[benalongtime]

I was wondering if there are any particular ports where it´s easier to find work just starting out than others. I´m based in New Orleans, but I could look elsewhere if the market´s booming

[dougpine]

It isn't booming anywhere, unfortunately.

[Ordinaryseaman]

Ben- what kind of boat/ship are you trying to get on?

Do you have any seatime at all? MMC/MMD, twic, bst?

It's rough out there right now- but the three places I see the most ads for boat/ship jobs are- Seattle, New Orleans area, and Alaska. In that order..

If you're looking to work on a tug/OSV/offshore- stay where you are. Especially if you have a free/cheap place to stay down there.

If you don't mind working on a cruise boat or fishing boat-and can afford to- head to Seattle.

You might get lucky- every year I see ads for deckhands (fishing) in Seattle- where someone quit/got fired- and they want someone in a few hours.

But I would NOT count on it.

No matter what you do- DO NOT go to Dutch Harbor Alaska expecting to find a job.

(Unless you get on at a shore based processing plant)

It's expensive to get there- expensive to stay there- and expensive to get out of there..

There are 1000 others who have seen "Deadliest Catch" and think they are going to get a job up there.


999 of them are wrong....

[argo]

New York City, if you can make it here you can make it anywhere!

[seahawk]

I have been down to the SIU hall down in Houston TX and it does not look good I have talked to people sitting down at the hall they have been sitting around for months. I also have called the local 333 up in New York and they say to try back in spring. It's true what has been said about jobs get one you enjoy doing and its not a job. I have had all types of different jobs and made good money but was not what I enjoyed doing. I finally started working on water and love it been out of work for about 4 months and still trying to find a job on the water because I love the water and if I can make good pay well thats just a perk but thats just me.