Getting on an MSC ship for second sea year

Hi all -- I am just helicoptering here. DS has been waiting for 3 weeks for an MSC ship and due to PLC next summer will have limited time to get the rest of his sea days in. Why is it that it takes so long to get on one? Do they only come into the US sporadically? Also, if you figured your sea days a little short of what they were last time, can you get the powers to be to recount to give you more - forgot about leap year, DS did. (and also just might be off a little anyway, yikes)
Thanks.

Life is a series of uncertainties.

Ships (other than cruise ships and ferries) do not move to accommodate those whom do not pay to join.

Hang in there.

MSC is an entirely different beast when compared to the commercial shipping world. The ATRs, while not always... completely proactive... have to go through an MSC employee to coordinate midshipmen getting on MSC ships, and unfortunately, more often than not, that process takes a lot more time than if a midshipman was getting on a commercial ship.
I can tell you that it is by no means uncommon for a second sailor to wait three, four, five weeks to get placed on an MSC ship. That is why a lot of second sailors that are short on time choose to not do MSC, because it's a risk if you need sea days.
The only advice I can give is to have your midshipman be proactive with the ATRs, aka call every day or two until he or she gets a ship. The ATRs will likely get annoyed, but it's their job and that way your kid doesn't get put at the bottom of the stack accidentally (which happens).

Wish DS had requested ROS or other ships earlier

Thanks for the replies. I just wish DS would have found out more about the complications with MSC. I think he hoped for more consideration due to needing to be at PLC (Marine Corps) next summer and that this would put him in line somewhat "first" but this is not so true apparentely. So he has been emailing almost daily and finally he does have an MSC, but not until early Dec.
So, anyone know about ROS possiblities and/or steam ships in the Great Lakes area -- to fill in the days he will need. He wiil be short no doubt by the start of his senior year, but I hope only about 6-10 days. He will just have to make them up sometime next year. Doing the Marine Corps PLC does really take a bite out of his sea days -- about 9 weeks when all is said and done, due to report dates and school starting.
We'll hope for the best. Semper Gumby!!

norcalmom2014 said:

Thanks for the replies. I just wish DS would have found out more about the complications with MSC. I think he hoped for more consideration due to needing to be at PLC (Marine Corps) next summer and that this would put him in line somewhat "first" but this is not so true apparentely. So he has been emailing almost daily and finally he does have an MSC, but not until early Dec.
So, anyone know about ROS possiblities and/or steam ships in the Great Lakes area -- to fill in the days he will need. He wiil be short no doubt by the start of his senior year, but I hope only about 6-10 days. He will just have to make them up sometime next year. Doing the Marine Corps PLC does really take a bite out of his sea days -- about 9 weeks when all is said and done, due to report dates and school starting.
We'll hope for the best. Semper Gumby!!

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Remeber this PLC is a secondary thing. He is going to USMMA not USNA and as much as it is a priority for him it is not necessary for graduation.
With that being said, he should be talking to his ATR and get on a commercial ship. There should be no need to wait for a MSC Ship. There are tons of Jones Act ships that he can get on. If I were him, I'd be talking to my ATR and try USS, OSG, Seabulk, Crowley, Polar and Chevron. ROS ships are a waste of time might as well be sitting in Fulton Hall Steam lab all day.
His first priority should be to get sea days, it's going to suck to have to walk for graduation and get an empty tube because you are a deferred grad, and then get stuck on a ship for 35 days because it's going overseas and that's how long the trip is before it comes back to the US.

A certain amount of limited tonnage time counts. Go get on a tugboat in NY Harbor.

For Deckies ...

CFR 46 11.402 Tonnage requirements for ocean or near coastal endorsements for vessels of over 1600 gross tons.
(a) To qualify for an ocean or near coastal endorsement for vessels of any gross tons, all the required experience must be obtained on vessels of over 200 gross tons. At least one-half of the required experience must be obtained on vessels of over 1600 gross tons.