Sponsor Choices

[Sygnus]

Hello All,

I heard back from CMT today, I've been offered a sponsorship for Deck Cadetship, so I'm going through the companies to apply to. I am wanting to get into the offshore oil & gas industry, so I am wondering if anyone knows which of the sponsor companies are the "best" to go to? And which, if any, are to avoid? Fletcher Shipping has caught my eye thus far.

Advice appreciated.

Thanks,
Syg

[size4riggerboots]

Congrats Sygnus! What are the options CMT gives?

[Sygnus]

Thanks.

The full sponsor company list can be seen here.

The offshore companies in there are: -
Farstad, Fletcher, Gulf Offshore N.S, Solstad Offshore (strangely, this company looks like it only hires Scandinavians), Subsea 7, UP Offshore, Viking Supply, Vroon.

Any insight into any of those would be appreciated!

[MrStealth]

Gulf offshore and Subsea 7 appear to be popular choices.

I seem to recall someone contacting Farstad directly to ask for sponsorship - and then getting it, albeit via CMT.

Just a note on Solstad - they hire Brits (as far as I'm aware) through their Singapore arm - Solstad Offshore Asia Pacific LTD.

Company lowdown is as follows;

-Fletcher are all PSV, and all of the same class.
-Farstad are a case of 'everything under the sun'.
-Solstad are also "everything under the sun", although I suspect you'll be focused on the CSV/MPSV/DSV side.
-Gulf are either PSV or AHTS.
-Subsea 7 are focused heavily on pipelaying, cable laying and construction.
-UP offshore are mainly AHTS from what I can recall.
-Viking own some very nice looking AHTS ships, but I imagine you'll find yourself aboard their UK flagged PSV's. Although I know they've got some brits scattered about the AHTS fleet.
-Vroon are ERRV and ERRV/PSV hybrid operators. They've just ordered some new X-bows from China.

There, now that I've done your research for you... Go forth, and pass your interview!

[MacNeil]

Hi, Solstad Offshore infact do take on British cadets, albeit a few. I'm currently in phase 1 with Solstad, and go to sea next month.

[Sygnus]

Gulf offshore and Subsea 7 appear to be popular choices.

I seem to recall someone contacting Farstad directly to ask for sponsorship - and then getting it, albeit via CMT.

Just a note on Solstad - they hire Brits (as far as I'm aware) through their Singapore arm - Solstad Offshore Asia Pacific LTD.

Company lowdown is as follows;

-Fletcher are all PSV, and all of the same class.
-Farstad are a case of 'everything under the sun'.
-Solstad are also "everything under the sun", although I suspect you'll be focused on the CSV/MPSV/DSV side.
-Gulf are either PSV or AHTS.
-Subsea 7 are focused heavily on pipelaying, cable laying and construction.
-UP offshore are mainly AHTS from what I can recall.
-Viking own some very nice looking AHTS ships, but I imagine you'll find yourself aboard their UK flagged PSV's. Although I know they've got some brits scattered about the AHTS fleet.
-Vroon are ERRV and ERRV/PSV hybrid operators. They've just ordered some new X-bows from China.

There, now that I've done your research for you... Go forth, and pass your interview!

Cheers for all of this information. To clarify though, I was asking which are good to go to, and which are to avoid. The research part I can do/have done, but the "insider" information is more difficult to acquire.

[Sygnus]

Hi, Solstad Offshore infact do take on British cadets, albeit a few. I'm currently in phase 1 with Solstad, and go to sea next month.

Hello, have you had much contact with them? How are they to work with thus far?

[MacNeil]

Hello, have you had much contact with them? How are they to work with thus far?

I have had contact with them on a few occasions already, unlike the majority of my class who have never heard a word from their respective sponsor companies.

So far I've had no problems with them, and I am definitely glad I picked them on my choice form. When I started they sent out a generous welcome pack. I haven't yet heard what area I will be spending my sea time in, however I know that they do on occasion send cadets further afield than the North Sea.

That's all I can really comment on, as I have not yet been to sea yet.

Thanks,

[Clanky]

Yes, do ev everything you can to avoid standby vessels.