Tugboat work can be performed in comfortable as well as harsh climates.
Tugboat crews have an abundance of work available. The tugboat industry represents a regularly needed transportation support system for commercial transport on water. Tugboats help guide barges and large cargo carriers in and out of port as well as through river channel systems. With over 4,000 boats and over 25,000 barges, there is no shortage of boats moving across U.S. waters.
Career With a Purpose
Waterway commercial transport helps move and support millions of dollars in goods every day. Workers help move such materials from one port to another whether it be from St. Louis to New Orleans or in and out of ports in New York and Los Angeles. Tugboat work can be performed within the same harbor area or on oceans, depending on the assignment and need. Whatever the case, as long as product needs to be moved en masse over water, tugboats will be involved.
Common Positions
Each position on a tugboat crew serves a critical role. There are no extra spots as tugboat businesses need to keep costs down for profit margins. Deckhands represent the starting-level position. In this position, crew members learn work on a tugboat while providing basic work. Experienced deckhands get referred to as able-bodied seamen. Coast Guard certification is required for this level. The cook supports the food needs of the crew on all-day and long-term trips. His role is to keep the pantry stocked for the trip and regular food available per the feeding schedule. Cooks also need to be certified.
Professional Positions
Tankermen provide specialized support via tugboats for cargo vessels with liquid product. Such crews can be involved in the movement of oil barges as well as water or chemicals. Skill and care is the priority to avoid hazardous accidents. Coast Guard certification with a tanker man specialization is required. Engineers are the Star Trek "Scotty" of the tugboat crew. These crew members help keep the boat engine running, maintained and repaired on the water as necessary. Significant mechanical skill, know-how, and ingenuity is required. Job certification depends on the type of boat the engineer is assigned to. Masters, pilots or mates all refer to the second- or third-in-command crew member who helps the captain manage the tugboat. The position alternates with the captain as needed and helps with the boat control of the crew.
Career Progression
Starting out, just about everyone on a tugboat crew begins as a deckhand. Experience and knowledge is gained over time through boat and shipping seasons. Additional training and certification for advancement comes with Coast Guard programs and testing. Passage is represented by licensing issued by the Guard. Workers can find positions either as independent contractors or as ongoing crew members. The former is more likely as tugboat businesses hire up or scale down as business dictates.
Conditions
Work conditions on industrial boats depend much on how long the assignment is on water. Some operations work out of port so the crewmembers are on land by the end of the day's shift. Other assignments involve extended stays on the water or at sea. The comfort or lack of it depends on how much money the company wants to put into the operation. Professional companies tend to be better than mom and pop operations. Work days are manual and physically demanding, involving frequent exposure to the elements on water. Breaktime is also limited as well as quarters tend to be cramped and you're around your peers 24/7 when on long-term assignments.
Tags: Coast Guard, crew members, tugboat crew, Coast Guard certification, commercial transport, Guard certification, tugboat businesses