Inland vs. Offshore

BlueSteel28

5-Year Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2014
Messages
13
I was wondering if anyone had some experience with both inland (tugs and barges) and offshore (osv's, rigs etc.) I know the pay is usually more in the offshore business but from what I've heard the experience and knowledge you gain Inland is invaluable..? Would working a year or two Inland, for a company like Kirby, and getting your towing endorsement make you more of an attractive hire to offshore drilling companies?

Thanks
 
I was wondering if anyone had some experience with both inland (tugs and barges) and offshore (osv's, rigs etc.) I know the pay is usually more in the offshore business but from what I've heard the experience and knowledge you gain Inland is invaluable..? Would working a year or two Inland, for a company like Kirby, and getting your towing endorsement make you more of an attractive hire to offshore drilling companies?

Thanks

Having your Towing Endorsement means nothing to drill ship companies. Having a DP cert is all that matters.
 
Would you recommend getting your DP basic cert on your own, spending your own money for it, or wait to get hired by a company that will pay for you to get it? From what I can tell it is a bit of a catch 22. If you get your dp basic on your own, you will be putting up your own money, ($1500-$2500), but you will be more of an attractive hire. If you don't get it on your own, though, and wait for a company that will pay for you to get it, you may never get hired at all..?
 
I recommend dropping the money and take the class. You'll be much more attractive. Also if you can cadet ship for 30 days on a drillship and get signed off on DP observations.
 
Take DP on your own- you can start getting the 30 familiarization days you need after that on the Kings Pointer. Most gulf companies won't hire you anymore without having already taken the basic class.
 
Get anything and everything you can BEFORE you leave KP.

This is anecdotal, but I think it is easier to go from offshore to inland than vice versa. You may have a ton of offshore experience but the tug companies won't really look at you that seriously without the towing endorsement. That may change depending on how the industry has but that is basically how it is right now. I had a classmate who spent over a year looking before he found a tug company that would take him on and train him. I also had a captain who had no problem getting a job offshore. I had another classmate go from being shoreside for a long time to an offshore job.

Its tough to know what you want to do when you grow up, heck I'm still trying to figure it out, so I would start inland and you can always go offshore. Maybe not super easy, but I think easier than starting offshore and trying to go inland.

Just my $.02
 
Has anyone heard if Hornbeck has released their new fleet?


Sent using the Service Academy Forums® mob
 
Has anyone heard if Hornbeck has released their new fleet?


Sent using the Service Academy Forums® mob

Not sure you question makes sense. Hornbeck is about 2/3 through a multi year newbuild program. The new vessels come on line as they are launched. I work aboard one that was launched in August.
 
I was just trying to find out if the new boats are out of dry dock and launched...are they hiring?


Sent using the Service Academy Forums® mob
 
Get anything and everything you can BEFORE you leave KP.

This is anecdotal, but I think it is easier to go from offshore to inland than vice versa. You may have a ton of offshore experience but the tug companies won't really look at you that seriously without the towing endorsement. That may change depending on how the industry has but that is basically how it is right now. I had a classmate who spent over a year looking before he found a tug company that would take him on and train him. I also had a captain who had no problem getting a job offshore. I had another classmate go from being shoreside for a long time to an offshore job.

Its tough to know what you want to do when you grow up, heck I'm still trying to figure it out, so I would start inland and you can always go offshore. Maybe not super easy, but I think easier than starting offshore and trying to go inland.

Just my $.02

I think I finally figured out what you were trying to say, but I believe you contradicted yourself when you started out by saying it is easier to go from offshore to inland than vice versa??
 
I think I finally figured out what you were trying to say, but I believe you contradicted yourself when you started out by saying it is easier to go from offshore to inland than vice versa??
Its just my opinion and you may disagree but I don't see how I contradicted myself.
 
Its just my opinion and you may disagree but I don't see how I contradicted myself.

Read what you wrote again. You contradicted yourself because in your first sentence you said that you believe it is easier to go from offshore to inland than vice versa, but from the rest of your post what I think you meant to say was that it is easier to go from Inland to Offshore, did you not??????????
 
Read what you wrote again. You contradicted yourself because in your first sentence you said that you believe it is easier to go from offshore to inland than vice versa, but from the rest of your post what I think you meant to say was that it is easier to go from Inland to Offshore, did you not??????????
Nope ... My usage of the terms inland and tug companies are interchangeable. It is easier to go from offshore to inland/tugs because of the needed towing endorsement for Mate/Master of Towing Vessels licenses.
 
Nope ... My usage of the terms inland and tug companies are interchangeable. It is easier to go from offshore to inland/tugs because of the needed towing endorsement for Mate/Master of Towing Vessels licenses.

I understand that your usage of the terms inland and tug companies are interchangeable, that is not what I was trying to point out.

You said "This is anecdotal, but I think it is easier to go from offshore to inland than vice versa". What you are saying here is that it is easier to start working offshore and THEN get hired by an inland company, are you not?

In your very next sentence, you say "You may have a ton of offshore experience but the tug companies won't really look at you that seriously without the towing endorsement". What you are saying now is that is HARDER to go from Offshore to Inland, are you not??????

You can only get your Master of Towing Vessel (MOTV) after actually training on an actual towboat, so not really sure how starting offshore would help you. Working on offshore osv, drillships, or rigs has nothing to do with the inland towboat industry, except for the fact that they both deal with oil and gas at different stages of the refining prcoess.

I'm not even sure if starting on inland/tugs would necessarily help you get hired by an offshore drilling company because they are two different animals. But from what I can infer, you are making a point, and then totally contradicting yourself because of the way you word your sentences, can anyone else back me up on this?

BlueSteel out
 
I understand that your usage of the terms inland and tug companies are interchangeable, that is not what I was trying to point out.

You said "This is anecdotal, but I think it is easier to go from offshore to inland than vice versa". What you are saying here is that it is easier to start working offshore and THEN get hired by an inland company, are you not?

In your very next sentence, you say "You may have a ton of offshore experience but the tug companies won't really look at you that seriously without the towing endorsement". What you are saying now is that is HARDER to go from Offshore to Inland, are you not??????

You can only get your Master of Towing Vessel (MOTV) after actually training on an actual towboat, so not really sure how starting offshore would help you. Working on offshore osv, drillships, or rigs has nothing to do with the inland towboat industry, except for the fact that they both deal with oil and gas at different stages of the refining prcoess.

I'm not even sure if starting on inland/tugs would necessarily help you get hired by an offshore drilling company because they are two different animals. But from what I can infer, you are making a point, and then totally contradicting yourself because of the way you word your sentences, can anyone else back me up on this?

BlueSteel out

BlueSteel ... give it a break!

Not putting words in KP's mouth but maybe he's saying it's easier to get a towing endorsement on an Unlimited Tonnage, Any Ocean, Masters MMC than it would be to add an Unlimited Tonnage, Any Ocean, MMC to an MOTV.

But then again maybe this is just someone trying to pick an argument!
 
BlueSteel ... give it a break!

Not putting words in KP's mouth but maybe he's saying it's easier to get a towing endorsement on an Unlimited Tonnage, Any Ocean, Masters MMC than it would be to add an Unlimited Tonnage, Any Ocean, MMC to an MOTV.

But then again maybe this is just someone trying to pick an argument!

If that's what he was trying to say then why did he say, "You may have a ton of offshore experience but the tug companies won't really look at you that seriously without the towing endorsement". So, here he was trying to say that it is harder to go from offshore to inland. To tell you the truth I really don't know what KPEngineer is trying to say at this point.

"It is easier to go from offshore to inland/tugs because of the needed towing endorsement for Mate/Master of Towing Vessels licenses."

How would it be easier to go to something that requires you to obtain a special endorsement? I'm sticking by my original post that KPEngineer contradicted himself. This is the last time I will post about this, it's getting old. I am not trying to pick an argument, all I would like is for KPEngineer to give a simple response clarifying what he was trying to say. If no one else sees what I am trying to point out then screw it.
 
If that's what he was trying to say then why did he say, "You may have a ton of offshore experience but the tug companies won't really look at you that seriously without the towing endorsement". So, here he was trying to say that it is harder to go from offshore to inland. To tell you the truth I really don't know what KPEngineer is trying to say at this point.

"It is easier to go from offshore to inland/tugs because of the needed towing endorsement for Mate/Master of Towing Vessels licenses."

How would it be easier to go to something that requires you to obtain a special endorsement? I'm sticking by my original post that KPEngineer contradicted himself. This is the last time I will post about this, it's getting old. I am not trying to pick an argument, all I would like is for KPEngineer to give a simple response clarifying what he was trying to say. If no one else sees what I am trying to point out then screw it.
My bad ... I did say it backwards. I even went back and re-read more than once and still didn't see it. I guess reading is a gift.

My point was that I think it is easier to go from Inland to Offshore, not vice versa for the reasons stated. Not to say that it is particularly easy, just easi-er.
 
My bad ... I did say it backwards. I even went back and re-read more than once and still didn't see it. I guess reading is a gift.

My point was that I think it is easier to go from Inland to Offshore, not vice versa for the reasons stated. Not to say that it is particularly easy, just easi-er.

Well you sure did stir up a hornets nest with that one :biggrin:

Now can we go back to the original topic at hand?? :thumb:
 
If that's what he was trying to say then why did he say, "You may have a ton of offshore experience but the tug companies won't really look at you that seriously without the towing endorsement". So, here he was trying to say that it is harder to go from offshore to inland. To tell you the truth I really don't know what KPEngineer is trying to say at this point.

"It is easier to go from offshore to inland/tugs because of the needed towing endorsement for Mate/Master of Towing Vessels licenses."

How would it be easier to go to something that requires you to obtain a special endorsement? I'm sticking by my original post that KPEngineer contradicted himself. This is the last time I will post about this, it's getting old. I am not trying to pick an argument, all I would like is for KPEngineer to give a simple response clarifying what he was trying to say. If no one else sees what I am trying to point out then screw it.

Blue Steel … My Bad! I thought you were asking a question. From your numerous posts it seemed to me like you were trying to make an argumentative statement! I was mis-lead because of the accusations made of KP for making a “contradictive statement.” Usually when someone doesn’t understand an answer, one asks for clarification … not make “accusations of contradictions.” I’m glad you are now satisfied and the arguments are finished.

KP … your insights are most appreciative! Please keep posting! Could you also share your observations / opinions of the differentiation between the deck officers progressions compared with engineering?
 
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