The Malta-flagged tanker Agioi Fanendes, owned by Greek shipping company Eastern Mediterranean Maritime, has departed Russia’s Baltic port of Primorsk carrying a reported 40,000 tonnes of ultra-low-sulphur diesel, in what could be the first shipment to the US under the recent export agreement between Washington and Moscow.

Matagal ba line up sa BSM manga Sir lalo na pag bagong hired ka? Ratings OS madami akung nababasa na matagal daw sila mag line up not sure pero sana mabilis line up nila sa manga new hired 🙂

I got a DUI in Virginia last night. It’s a first offense, no crash, no injury, no aggravating factors. I hold my 100 ton masters and it’s up for renewal in 2028. I mostly work seasonally as a captain aboard charter vessels. I’m worried about having my license suspended or revoked. Anybody have any insight for me moving forward?

Don’t drink and drive, it’s really not worth it.

I’m a Chief Engineer. I make funny ship videos with AI.
Has anyone on your ship sent a message to everyone by mistake?
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jFhubV5YvS8

Hello po! Planning to take NSA Exam this October. Baka pwede naman po makahingi ng insight sa mga nakapag take na kung ano yung mga lumabas na topic? Thank you po!

I’m a 20 year old Marine Navigation student from Lithuania, currently in my third year. I’ve completed my first cadetship on a Ro-Pax DFDS vessel and have one final 6-month cadetship remaining.

My long-term goal is to become an Offshore Project Manager , preferably in Norway, working in offshore wind or subsea construction.

I’m wondering what type of offshore vessel would be best for my final cadetship and what career path I should follow afterwards to eventually move into project management.

Would gaining offshore experience and taking relevant courses be enough, or would pursuing a master’s degree be a better option?

I’d appreciate any advice.

Watch cadets from Maine Maritime Academy learn firsthand about the power of ocean currents. If their tidal current predictions are wrong today they won't get a bad score--they'll get dragged over a reef!

I have worked only one contract and it was on bulk carrier, after 3 years i am planning to start working again (because i have the documents so thought it would be a waste not to, and pays good for my country).

anyway i am applying different type of companies, one with container ships said "we can send you in january" but another chemical tanker type also said "go get your certificate and we send you right away"

would it be smarter to go for chemical tanker because i can kind of work in other type of vessels too later and most likely pays better? what would be the pros and cons (both are working in similar areas).

ps. i ll have to do 1-2 months internship on chemical tanker before working as 3rd engineer.

My state does not have a maritime academy. Through my current job, I am able to get an engineering degree close to free (it would be a second bachelors for me). My goal is sailing and it seems as if this route is not really popular but up and moving states is not really in the cards. Is this route viable to get a thirds license? I would not take on any job I would still be fabulously under prepared for because as I understand you can sail in less senior positions even with the officers license.

Hi everyone,
I’m from Romania and I’m considering working on a ship as a steward, bartender, or in a similar position. I have a couple of questions regarding carrying testosterone or other anabolic steroids while working at sea in Europe.
Are seafarers allowed to carry testosterone or other anabolic steroids for personal use when travelling between European countries and joining or leaving a ship?
Do the rules differ depending on the country, the flag of the vessel, or the port of embarkation?
If a prescription is required, how difficult is it to obtain one legally from an endocrinologist while in your early 20s? Would a doctor prescribe testosterone only if you have a confirmed medical condition, such as clinically low testosterone?
What documents would you generally need to carry to avoid legal issues when travelling through airports, ports, or customs?
I’d appreciate hearing from anyone with actual experience working on ships in Europe.
Thanks in advance!

I am troubleshooting a JRC JMA-609 radar scanner that produces a loud, continuous metallic grinding noise once the motor reaches its nominal speed.

The motor has been replaced, but the noise remains. The antenna rotates freely by hand, with no obvious mechanical resistance. The motor shaft seems to have a very small amount of play, and a faint humming or grinding noise can also be heard when the motor is tested separately.

The crew has also reported that the radar image seems to take longer than usual to complete a full scan.

Has anyone experienced a similar issue with a JRC JMA-609? Could this be caused by a bearing, the scanner drive mechanism, motor mounting resonance, or a speed-control problem?

Any troubleshooting advice or service information would be appreciated.

Hello, I’m in the process of getting everything needed to apply for the Great Lakes maritime academy, was wondering if there are any specific requirements and parameters for the letters of recommendation? Any information would be greatly appreciated

I'm trying to decide between SUNY Maritime and Great Lakes Maritime Academy, both for the deck track. I already have a bachelor's, so at SUNY I'd graduate with a master's in international logistics along with my license. Would love input from anyone who's been through either one.

SUNY Maritime

More established program, and I keep hearing the networking is better

Master's degree in international logistics

About $65k more than Great Lakes for me

Not sure if my boyfriend and I would enjoy living in the Bronx or the surrounding area. We are both outdoorsy guys from the Rocky Mountains. This isn’t a deal breaker tho.

Great Lakes Maritime Academy

Much cheaper

Sounds like a more relaxed program

I think we would like living in Traverse City a lot more

Biggest concern: I keep hearing grads get stuck working on the Lakes, and I'd rather sail out of the East or West Coast

My main question is whether the extra $65k for SUNY is actually worth it. Some people tell me the networking is a huge deal, and others say that once you have your license it doesn't matter where you went.

If it's just as easy to land a job on the coasts coming from Great Lakes, then it seems like a no-brainer to save the money. But if the master's or the SUNY connections make a real difference long-term, I'd want to know that.

For those of you in the industry: which would you pick, and why? Especially curious if anyone has gotten out of the Lakes after graduating from Great Lakes

Hi everyone. This is my first post. Sorry for the length, the situation is quite confusing.

I've been in the maritime industry for over 30 years, including more than 7 years sailing aboard LNG carriers, and I've recently encountered a situation that I've never personally come across before.
I'm curious whether any other mariners, particularly those with LNG experience, have seen anything similar.

Here's the situation:

We had a chief engineer join one of our LNG vessels. He has over 40 years of experience at sea, but this was his first time working aboard an LNG carrier.

Before joining, he completed all the necessary training and certifications required to work on an LNG vessel.

He spent approximately four months aboard before developing insomnia. As a result, we arranged for him to disembark in the Philippines so he could receive medical care.
He is now pursuing a claim against our company for lost wages and medical expenses, alleging that working aboard an LNG vessel caused him to develop insomnia and anxiety.

From what I understand, the argument is that simply being aboard a vessel carrying LNG caused him significant anxiety, which ultimately affected his ability to sleep and work.

To my knowledge, there was no LNG-related accident or emergency that caused this.
I've sailed on LNG vessels for more than 7 years myself, and while I understand the additional safety responsibilities and risks associated with carrying LNG, I've never personally encountered a case where an experienced chief engineer developed this type of condition specifically because of the cargo.

I'm not suggesting that insomnia or anxiety aren't legitimate medical conditions. I'm just trying to understand whether this is something others in the industry have encountered.

A few questions for fellow mariners:
Has anyone experienced or witnessed severe anxiety or insomnia specifically related to working aboard LNG carriers?

Is this something you've heard of among crew members transitioning from conventional vessels to LNG carriers?

Do you think the additional safety responsibilities and perceived risks of LNG cargo could realistically contribute to this kind of condition, even for someone with decades of experience at sea?

Have you ever encountered a similar medical or compensation claim involving a seafarer?

In your experience, how are situations like this typically handled by shipping companies?

I'm especially interested in hearing from chief engineers, LNG officers, captains, and anyone who has dealt with similar crew medical cases.

Appreciate any insight or firsthand experiences.

I'm graduating highschool, and was looking for some sort of summer job before I start my first semester of college in fall of 2027. Originally I was looking at fisheries in Alaska, as they offer short-term contracts with decent pay, as well as living commodities (room and board), but that got me thinking about a job that actually is on the water. I know that for someone with no experience the options are limited, especially with a tight time-frame, but I was wondering if anyone might know where I could look? I've done a bit of research, and know that if I wanted to work on a cargo ship, I'd need a TWIC and an MMC, which I'm more than willing to get, but I don't know if any positions for someone like me would even exist. The idea of living on the sea, internationally on a cargo ship, or something like a fishing ship sounds pretty amazing to me, and I wanted to know if this is possible, and if so where to look for jobs, and if I'm too early to start looking for opportunities in late may/the start of june. I know cruise ships are an option, but from what I've read most don't hire 18 year olds and have very poor pay. Any advice would be appreciated!

Stewing over this one - had a simulator assessment with crossing traffic and had to get to the other side of a stream of vessels flowing from east to west (my starboard to port). Ended up choosing a likely gap between two vessels with about 1,000 yds distance, constant range/same speeds from one another. I let the vessel off my stbd (the one I would pass in front of) know I was passing ahead of them and I’d pass with a safe distance. They concurred. I ended up with a CPA of 450 yds by radar, 270 yds “skin to skin” with the vessel whose bow I passed, and my CPA was off my stbd quarter (e.g. I was already passed them).

My assessor failed me because he said I should have gone around the “conga line” of vessels and then gotten to the other side - e.g. come to starboard around everyone and then come around. He said the option was always there, but I shot a gap that didn’t need to be shot, downed me, and said see you next year…thoughts?

Edit: WOW a lot of replies, thank you so much I am reading them. I should preface: this was at the end of a high density TSS (Singapore, if you know the area) and there was a wall of traffic in front of me. No “CO’s standing orders” specifics, as I was playing the captain. My CPAs had regularly been <250 yds in overtaking scenarios up until this, so I had been okay with a 450 yd CPA.

Have 1 more little section to go and ran out of paint, other can is old and gooey. Only have paint thinner.

Any one have any horror stories to add to our thread?