Marine transportation

**Tomj93** · June 27th, 2011, 07:50 PM

Hello, I am 18 and going to be attending mass maritime in august. I going to be majoring in marine transportation. I have done hours of research on possible job opportunities with my major. I have a plentiful amount of careers of sailing vessels and living on them weeks, maybe months at a time. What I cannot find though, is an on-shore career that would use my college education. For people that are sailors or people that have a degree in marine trans,
please help me out.

**50thState** · June 27th, 2011, 09:13 PM

Why marine transportation if you want to work on the beach? Did you look at job opportunities for the other majors they offer? Maybe something else will give you a better shot at landing a good job on shore.

**rshrew** · June 27th, 2011, 09:33 PM

I have friends from the academy who were MT majors that do, ship chartering, work for oil companies doing what I have no idea, insurance, ship agents, container terminal management, port captains at tug outfits. So you have lots of options many of the people I know who went shoreside sailed for a couple of years and switched to dry land. Hope this helps you.

**Capt. Phoenix** · June 28th, 2011, 12:54 AM

There are much better shore side job opportunities for engineers. If you aren't in this because you want to sail and are just looking forward to when you can work ashore then you should consider engineering.

**DeckApe** · June 28th, 2011, 06:26 AM

Originally Posted by Capt. Schmitt

If you aren't in this because you want to sail and are just looking forward to when you can work ashore then you should consider engineering.

Well said.

**New3M** · June 28th, 2011, 07:33 AM

Why is everybody's solution around here to become an engineer? What if he wants to go deckside and is just looking at his options? I knew when I went to school that engineers had way more shoreside jobs, but I didn't want to become an engineer. Sure, I was out of work for a while, but I stuck it out and now I have a pretty sweet gig.

There are lots of opportunities for an MT major to come ashore. Brokerage, operations, crewing, chartering, insurance...and many more.

**Jemplayer** · June 28th, 2011, 08:28 AM

Originally Posted by New3M

Sure, I was out of work for a while

Answered your own question right there. I've never even heard of an engineer having to look for work, it finds them.

**DeckApe** · June 28th, 2011, 09:30 AM

Originally Posted by New3M

Why is everybody's solution around here to become an engineer?

It's like asking, "I'd like to get a GED and be a garbage man for a few years then move up to a job as an executive for a fortune 500 company." We politely tell them they may want to consider buisness school instead. Or if someone wants a career at sea AND a real life with a happy marriage and we tell them to look at a different career. Same difference.

I guess we could lie to them, tell them there are endless jobs for MT majors and licensed deck officers ashore. But that wouldn't be nice.

**New3M** · June 28th, 2011, 09:45 AM

It's not like that at all. How many engineers do you know in chartering? Insurance? Brokerage? I don't know any and I'd bet if there are any they're few and far between.

Here's a piece of advice for you - don't pick a career field because somebody tells you there's always going to be a job for you (and for the record I know out of work engineers) - pick a career field because you want to do it. If you hate your career, that's that.

And I resent the implication that a deck license is the equivalent to a GED and a 3/M is a garbage man.

**Tomj93** · June 28th, 2011, 02:20 PM

Whoa I did not intend on starting this huge debate haha. I just wanted to know my options. The reason why I wanted to know is because I hear from many sailors that they have had man marriage problems because they are away so much. My other question is what are my options of careers with marine trans. That do not ship me off weeks/ months on end. And what are people's opinions on possibly doing a career in tugboating? Since I believe that is near shore, so I wouldn't be away for too long.

**Oldsalt206** · June 28th, 2011, 03:21 PM

Originally Posted by Tomj93

The reason why I wanted to know is because I hear from many sailors that they have had man marriage problems because they are away so much..

Man marriage is a huge problem with sailors. It's pretty tough to avoid when you are underway for so long. You know the old saying...... "it's not gay while underway!" Good luck out there.

**KPEngineer** · June 28th, 2011, 07:05 PM

Originally Posted by New3M

And I resent the implication that a deck license is the equivalent to a GED and a 3/M is a garbage man.

You can resent it all you want but it's still true.

I hear Amway hires deckies.

Why did the Deckle cross the road? I don't know but he got three credits for it.

Seriously though, I actually agree with 3M that you should first and foremost pursue a career that will make you happy and that you will enjoy. Deckies can have successful shoreside careers too but I do think it is easier for Engineers to branch out beyond the maritime industry.

Realize that an academy doesn't necessarily prepare you for tugboating. A mate on a ship is not the same as a mate on a tugboat. I chose engineering in part because a mates job on a ship at sea looked incredibly boring. A mates job on a tugboat pushing a loaded fuel barge around NY harbor is definitely not boring. If you do choose tugboats after an academy realize that you will have to unlearn and relearn a lot. A good attitude is the key to success.

**rshrew** · June 28th, 2011, 07:30 PM

Originally Posted by KPEngineer

Realize that an academy doesn't necessarily prepare you for tugboating. A mate on a ship is not the same as a mate on a tugboat. I chose engineering in part because a mates job on a ship at sea looked incredibly boring. A mates job on a tugboat pushing a loaded fuel barge around NY harbor is definitely not boring. If you do choose tugboats after an academy realize that you will have to unlearn and relearn a lot. A good attitude is the key to success.

So very true.

**New3M** · June 28th, 2011, 08:12 PM

Originally Posted by KPEngineer

You can resent it all you want but it's still true.

I hear Amway hires deckies.

Why did the Deckle cross the road? I don't know but he got three credits for it.

And here we go with the deck/engine debate. Engineers are better because they get dirty every day and can use a wrench. Mates are useless because all they do is stand around, drink coffee, and get paid overtime to glue and color. Can I rip apart a turbo or fix the R/O? No, but can you get a ship from here to anywhere? Doubt it.

Not only did I pay for my education, but I paid for yours too. You're welcome.

**New3M** · June 28th, 2011, 08:15 PM

Originally Posted by KPEngineer

Realize that an academy doesn't necessarily prepare you for tugboating. A mate on a ship is not the same as a mate on a tugboat. I chose engineering in part because a mates job on a ship at sea looked incredibly boring. A mates job on a tugboat pushing a loaded fuel barge around NY harbor is definitely not boring. If you do choose tugboats after an academy realize that you will have to unlearn and relearn a lot. A good attitude is the key to success.

However, he is right here. Being a mate deep sea and being a mate on a tug are two whole different ballgames. Although I wouldn't necessarily say you have to unlearn a lot - you will just learn a lot more when you get there. But, that's true no matter what ship/tug/boat/whatever it is that you get in. A good attitude is definitely the key to success. And listen to the old guys, no matter what the position on their door says.

**Tomj93** · June 28th, 2011, 08:38 PM

Wow thank you very much on all of your comments people. I have Learned many things from you guys and I am grateful. Please continue to comment if you wish to. I am attending mass maritime in august for marine trans. Wish me luck for the orientation!

**KPEngineer** · June 28th, 2011, 08:42 PM

New 3M, It was meant as good natured ribbing. I'm posting from my phone so I didn't have the little winking emoticon.

Notice the "seriously though ..."

Edit: hey look, it does do the little winkicon

**New3M** · June 28th, 2011, 09:04 PM

Alright fair enough

**KPEngineer** · June 28th, 2011, 09:07 PM

Some of my best friends are even deckies!

Really man ... I'm not an anti-deckite

**Diesel** · June 28th, 2011, 09:39 PM

Only ring-knockers would even get into this debate, and I am not an anti-academy guy. I have several friends from academies and two cadets that came through (one engine, one deck) whom I still keep in touch with, but seriously I can't imagine hawsepipers giving two shits. It's kind of a retarded discussion anyway because you need both to make the vessel get anywhere, and I have to face facts, an engineer could probably figure out the GPS and autopilot a lot faster than I could figure out how to crank the mains.