r/tuglife 7h ago

Inland River Map

7 Upvotes

I worked for Parker Towing for a little under a decade. Now I am working to build a complete online inland river map. We are trying to put in every fleet, dock, lock, shipyard, vendor, and operator with their contact information and services offered. It will also show every boat with its details and who owns it. You can create geofences for specific boats or entire company's fleet that send email alerts to whoever you want when a boat enters or exits an area. Our platform is called Geaux River. https://www.geauxriver.com/

Would love some feedback if there is any more information we need to add.

This is what is looks like at Algiers.


r/tuglife 7h ago

G&H Towing

2 Upvotes

I’m very interested in working for this company, but I have not gotten any responses to my applications despite meeting all the requirements and having experience. They’re constantly posting jobs that I’m interested in.

Do they only hire Texas residents or something?

Does anyone have any suggestions on things I can do to stand out or how to get in direct contact with a hiring manager?

I even tried getting in through the back door with SIU but they ghosted me.

Thanks in advance.


r/tuglife 13h ago

Looking for Green Deckhand Jobs That Don’t Require a TWIC

0 Upvotes

Hey everyone,
I’m looking for my first job as a green deckhand on a towboat or tugboat. I live in Mississippi and don’t have any experience yet.
The biggest problem is that I don’t have a TWIC card or a car, so I need a company that either:
•doesn’t require a TWIC before starting,
•lets you get your TWIC after you’re hired, or
•helps with transportation to orientation or the boat.
I’m ready to work and willing to stay out for long hitches. Does anyone know of companies that hire people in this situation?
Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!


r/tuglife 1d ago

Barge hit oil rig….

2 Upvotes

Has anyone heard about a genesis barge that hit an oil rig within the past year or so? I’ve heard about it a couple times but it doesn’t seem to be “available” in online searches.


r/tuglife 3d ago

I built a decision support tool for harbor pilots.

0 Upvotes

I made this because I have a stubborn friend who claims that technology (and AI) is useless for his profession.

It includes most European ports.

https://filgama.github.io/Shipping_barra/

I’m open to feedback


r/tuglife 4d ago

Mate Jobs

8 Upvotes

This post is going to be partially me asking for help, and partially me venting.

I’m a newly licensed 1600 ton mate and mate of tow seeking a mate opportunity.

The company I’m currently at only has 3 tugs and very low turnover for mates. Since I’ve gotten my license, I’ve been told to “finish mastering the deck” and have been given less than 15 minutes training time in the wheelhouse, despite my willingness to train off watch.

I am very competent, motivated, and kick absolute ass with the work I am given. I prepped and painted the entire deck in 2 weeks all by myself. I am on top of all my sanitary and cooking. I make this boat look better than it’s ever looked.

But this isn’t the karate kid, and the mop nor the paint brush is gonna teach me how to drive the boat. No much the office keeps trying to tell me that.

Now here’s the real kicker, I just found out that my company brought in a new hire mate from outside the company, less than a month after I was told by the owner that there are not any mate positions open.

So at this point I’m absolutely done with this company after this hitch. I feel disrespected and unappreciated. I’m not going to continue to work my tail off for a company that won’t lift a finger to help me.

At this point I’m not interested in starting over with a new company as an AB and trying to prove myself all over again. I don’t have much left in the tank as a deckhand.

I am looking for a company with a good mate training program that will hire me as a designated mate / mate in training. I’m not taking another AB job having my hopes and dreams exploited.

It’s either that, or I’m going to look outside the industry and possibly go full time with my charter business at home. I have no more patience for scraping rust and being told to “learn the deck” even though in all reality that rarely takes longer than 1 or 2 hitches for a competent person.

Any advice is appreciated.


r/tuglife 4d ago

What do deckhands do

7 Upvotes

I got a phone interview with Kirby and all I was asked. Was to do some research on what deckhands to get myself familiar with the roles and responsibilities just to help me prepare for my next wave of interviews next week I just wanted some first hand knowledge


r/tuglife 5d ago

How to transition from inland to offshore tanking with a Tankerman-PIC endorsement?

3 Upvotes

Looking for some advice from those of y'all who have made the jump to offshore tanking.

A little background: I spent about 3 years on inland towboats (roughly 1 year as a deckhand and about 2 years as a Tankerman). I currently hold my Tankerman-PIC (DL) endorsement, MMC, and TWIC.

About 3 years ago I left the industry for Halliburton and have been working offshore as a coiled tubing operator on various offshore facilities. Halliburton has been a great company to work for, but work in my division has slowed down, so I'm looking at my options and considering making a move back into the maritime industry.

I'd like to use my Tankerman ticket before it expires, but after getting used to offshore oilfield wages, going back to inland tanking isn't really something | can make work financially. I only recently became aware of the earning potential on the offshore/blue-water side of tanking.

I've seen offshore Tankerman positions advertised in the $650-$750/day range, and those are the kinds of opportunities I'd be interested in pursuing if I can bridge the gap. I understand there may be additional requirements, endorsements, or experience needed, I'm
just trying to figure out the right path to get there.

For those who have made the transition from inland to offshore, what would you recommend? Are there specific companies that are more willing to bring on someone with inland Tankerman experience? Would I need additional STCW courses, sea time, or other endorsements to be competitive?

Any advice, direction, or insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.


r/tuglife 5d ago

Mate Positions Open now!

10 Upvotes

Now Hiring: Mates – Bangor & Everett, Washington

Looking for experienced mariners to join our team as Mate in Bangor WA or Everett, WA.

Pay: $35.90–$41.99 per hour
Schedule: Monday–Friday, 8-hour shifts
Overtime: Available outside your regular shift
Benefits include:
• Paid federal holidays
• Federal retirement (FERS)
• Federal employee health, dental, and vision benefits
• Stable, full-time federal employment

If you’re interested in a rewarding maritime career with the Department of the Navy, apply here:

USAJOBS – Mate (Bangor/Everett, WA)

https://www.usajobs.gov/job/858509400

Applications are open now. See the announcement for qualification requirements and application instructions.


r/tuglife 6d ago

Moran NY Labor Contract

4 Upvotes

Does anyone have an update on how Moran, NY, and ATB contract negotiations are going?


r/tuglife 8d ago

Kirby Question

4 Upvotes

Does anyone know if Kirby boats usually have a good gym or something equivalenton on them?


r/tuglife 10d ago

Best path to maximize earning potential with a Tankerman PIC (DL)?

5 Upvotes

Looking for some advice from those who’ve been in the industry longer than I have.

I spent about 3 years on inland tugboats, including 2 years as a Tankerman PIC (DL), before leaving for the offshore oilfield. I’ve now spent the last 3 years offshore as a Coiled Tubing Operator with Halliburton, but work has been slowing down, so I’m considering coming back to the maritime side.

When I was tanking, I worked for a medium-sized company and was making around $60k/year. Since then, I’ve gotten used to oilfield pay, so taking that kind of a pay cut would be difficult. If I come back, I’d like to position myself to earn well into the six figures, or at least maximize my earning potential.

With my current experience and a Tankerman PIC (DL), what path would you recommend? Are there certain companies, types of vessels, or sectors that consistently pay better? I’d also be interested in hearing about companies that invest in their employees by paying for additional training and endorsements (LG, AB, etc.), since

I’d be happy to pursue more credentials if the opportunity is there.

Just looking for some guidance from those who know the industry better than I do. Thanks in advance.

EDIT: I am based out of Louisiana, but will go anywhere that pays for travel.


r/tuglife 13d ago

Marquette pre employment drug test

2 Upvotes

I’m finna start work on Marquette and I stop smoking but I was told it was 2 drug tests during the pre employment drug test with the physical is this true?


r/tuglife 14d ago

Looking to transition from commercial fishing to tugs: engineering or deck

6 Upvotes

I've spent the last 10 years commercial fishing from Alaska to California on 32–90 ft vessels. For the past 3 years I've been the engineer on a seiner, handling maintenance, troubleshooting, and keeping everything running. I'm looking to make the jump into the tug industry for a more stable, long-term career.

Right now I have:

  • MMC with Master 100 GRT, Ordinary Seaman, and Wiper endorsements
  • TWIC

I have a few questions for those already in the industry:

  • Since I've been engineering on fishing boats, would you recommend I stay on the engineering path or switch to deck?
  • What's the next certification that would make me the most employable? Is it worth getting it before applying, or do companies typically hire people and pay for the required training?
  • I know small fishing vessel systems pretty well, but I don't have much experience with larger tug systems. How steep is that learning curve?
  • Which West Coast companies have a good reputation for training and promoting from within?
  • Ideally I'd like to stay in California for the next few years and work a hitch schedule somewhere in the 7/7 to 28/28 range. I don't mind traveling if transportation is covered.

Also, I'm a woman in the industry. It's not really a deciding factor for me as I've worked on a variety of boats with colorful characters over the years, but if there are companies known for having a good culture and treating everyone professionally, I'd love to hear about those as well.

I'm open to any advice from people who've made a similar transition or who've worked both commercial fishing and tugs. Thanks!


r/tuglife 14d ago

Hines furlong line

5 Upvotes

Anyone in here know anything about Hines furlong line? They offered me 240 a day entry level deck hand I was wondering if that was good they told me they do spilt pay or biweekly pay. I make about 70k a year now was wondering how close that would be to what I make now?


r/tuglife 14d ago

Starting out

10 Upvotes

I'm trying to start out on the river. I got my TWIC card and put in applications. Is there anything else I should do? I'm in Nebraska but willing to relocate. Would calling any of the companies I applied to be helpful?


r/tuglife 15d ago

Tankerman starting pay

11 Upvotes

Starting pay for a tankerman and is it worth doing when you’re 32 years old?


r/tuglife 15d ago

Deckhand $210 Entry level

6 Upvotes

Edit: I am not affiliated with this company, just passing on the info for any interested parties. If you have issues with the compensation package take it up with the employer.

https://www.enterpriseproducts.com/careers/

Job details

Pay

  • From $210 a day

Shift and schedule

  • Rotating shift

 

Benefits

Pulled from the full job description

  • Referral program
  • Health insurance
  • 401(k) matching
  • Paid time off
  • Vision insurance
  • Dental insurance
  • Disability insurance
  • Profit sharing
  • Paid holidays
  • Flexible schedule

 

Full job description

Enterprise Products Partners L.P. is one of the largest publicly traded partnerships and a leading North American provider of midstream energy services to producers and consumers of natural gas, NGLs, crude oil, refined products and petrochemicals. Our services include: natural gas gathering, treating, processing, transportation and storage; NGL transportation, fractionation, storage and import and export terminals; crude oil gathering, transportation, storage and terminals; petrochemical and refined products transportation, storage and terminals; and a marine transportation business that operates primarily on the United States inland and Intracoastal Waterway systems. The partnership’s assets include approximately 50,000 miles of pipelines; 260 million barrels of storage capacity for NGLs, crude oil, refined products and petrochemicals; and 14 billion cubic feet of natural gas storage capacity.

Inland Deckhand – Starting Pay: $210/day

Employment Incentives:

  • Longevity Pay
  • Flexible Schedules: 14/7, 20/10, 28/14
  • Paid Schooling for PIC License
  • Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance
  • 401k with Company Match
  • Profit Sharing Program
  • Unit Purchase Plan
  • Short/Long Term Disability
  • PTO
  • 5 paid Holidays
  • Travel Pay
  • Compensation Enhancements Earned Through Positive Performance
  • Referral Bonuses
  • Can live anywhere in the United States

Description:

The Inland Deckhand is responsible for assisting with the safe, prudent, and efficient operation of a marine vessel by performing a variety of vessel-based tasks at the direction of the vessel’s captain or other officer. The Inland Deckhand's responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • General housekeeping duties and vessel maintenance, which may include cooking, sweeping, mopping, painting, and equipment repair.
  • Moving and operating portable pumps.
  • Transferring and laying rigging, handling lines, shifting barges, dropping or picking up barges, and checking over the tow as directed.
  • Assisting the wheelhouse via radio communication while navigating through locks, under bridges, and in other strategic scenarios.
  • Assisting in bulk liquid transfers.
  • Catching lines on deck fittings, working lines at locks, casting lines free when getting underway, and assisting in the navigation of the boat from the deck.
  • Driving company crew trucks as needed for crew change and deliveries to vessels.

Qualifications

The successful candidate should possess the following qualifications:

  • A valid driver's license with an acceptable driving record is required.
  • A valid Transportation Workers Identification Credential (T.W.I.C.) is required.
  • Must be able to communicate clearly, effectively, and professionally with office personnel, vessel crew, and dock personnel both verbally and in writing.
  • Must be able to get along and work well with others in close quarters.
  • Must be flexible and able to work any work schedule.
  • Must be able to perform routine duties in all types of weather (hot, cold, dry, wet, slippery, icy).
  • Must be able to work under pressure
  • Strength and balance are essential, as you may be required to perform duties on a moving platform.
  • Must be able to ascend and descend portable ladders and fixed stairs.
  • Ability to work in confined or small spaces is required.
  • Must be able to work on and around water.
  • Must be able to work around heights
  • Must be able to lift and move up to 100 lbs.
  • Must be willing and able to fly on a commercial airline for crew change.
  • Experience in Tugboat, Commercial Fishing, Oilfield, Heavy Equipment, Operations, Commercial Farming, and/or Shipyard Work is preferred.
  • Must satisfactorily complete a pre-employment physical exam which includes the USCG CG-719k Physical. This exam includes visual acuity, color vision, hearing and speech capabilities, medical evaluations, and physical assessments. The applicant must also acknowledge all prescribed and OTC medications and complete a thorough medical history.
  • Must satisfactorily complete a USCG DOT Drug and Alcohol screen, benzene physical, and full-face respirator test.
  • This job is classified as heavy work, which requires inside and outside work under various normal and adverse weather conditions, lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling frequently; walking, climbing reaching over shoulder, hand/eye coordination, twisting, working around unprotected heights, working around moving machinery, repetitive actions with both hands and feet.

#IND123

Primary Location: USA

Shift: Rotating

Travel: Yes, 100 % of the Time

Unposting Date: Ongoing

Organization: Marine Services

Job: Marine Services

Job Level: Entry Level


r/tuglife 15d ago

Advice

3 Upvotes

Hey guys

I got hired on at Kirby (Inland) and have done my physical and everything else. Just waiting on my clearance and then I'll be scheduled for training.

Any tips on what to do before hand or things i need to buy or bring with me?

Thank you in advance!

(DECKHAND)


r/tuglife 15d ago

MMP vs MEBA?

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2 Upvotes

r/tuglife 16d ago

Moran, NY Information

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1 Upvotes

r/tuglife 18d ago

Info on OSG ATB's?

3 Upvotes

I have experience with the Crowley/fairwater ATB fleet, but it's been pretty difficult to Google info on crew, conditions, pay etc

I know they have two that run in the Gulf primarily and do 3 week rotations. Do they have a utility or just tankerman for the ABs? Anyone here know what the pay is like? Dedicated cook?

Any info on them would be greatly appreciated


r/tuglife 20d ago

Todays sunrise in Long Island Sound

Post image
22 Upvotes

r/tuglife 20d ago

Entry level

1 Upvotes

I’ve applied to interlake, central marine, asc, and vanekenvort and I call weekly but haven’t got anywhere as far as a date for sailing. OS here and if anyone has any advice or other places I could put my application that’d be great. I would like to stay on the Great Lakes just because I live in Michigan and it’s convenient that way.


r/tuglife 20d ago

West Coast os jobs?

3 Upvotes

anyone know any West Coast companies hiring ordanaries? 12 years exp former ab unld with pic but I let all that shit lapse when I had a kid. Looking to get back at it 2/3 weeks equal time. I know NYC is slow right now how's West Coast?