Tanker Familiarisation Course

[alistairuk]

It's up to yourself if you think you might plan on working on tankers then having the course can only benefit your application - since if you didn't then your employer would need to send you on one.

[TheFunktopus]

Well, the one reservation I have is that most tanker companies specify at least 6 months previous tanker experience, I fear that despite getting a tanker familiarisation certificate, that I won't be able to get a job on a tanker anyway due to the "prior experience" catch 22.

"Can't get the job due to a lack of experience, can't get the experience because I can't get a job."

[Lewis]

On a similar note. I have done tanker familiarization. How much sea time on tankers in my cadetship do i need for tanker endorsement? Also how does it work with specialist tanker courses. the whole system confuses me.

[ETwhat?]

As far as im aware (a deckie told me) as a junior officer you dont need a tanker endorsement its something thats liked but below the rank of 2nd you just dont need it however i believe its 3 months service. That said you will need some experience on them before your left to do a watch by yourself a few companies will get around the catch22 by employing you as a 'junior' officer as in below that of a 4th or 3rd ie not acutally in rank but above crew and cadets. this will then go on for as long as you need to get recomended for promotion into the first rank the big catch is that your not getting paid the same salary as your obviously not actually useful but its the means to the end.

[Ducki52]

The Guinessman has said in another thread that some companies would be willing to take on officers with no tanker experience as an unpaid/expenses only 4th officer so they can get tanker hexperience.

I know it's not a brilliant proposition, but unpaid internships/work experience is rapidly becoming the only way to get experience and become attractive to employers.

[Steve]

How much sea time on tankers in my cadetship do i need for tanker endorsement? Also how does it work with specialist tanker courses. the whole system confuses me.

Six months sea time on tankers, of which three months on the specific type (oil/gas/chemical) you are applying for an endorsement for OR tanker familiarisation plus three months on the specific type. You also need to complete the relevant specialist tanker training course. You need to have evidence of the type of cargo you carried, usually in the form of a testimonial from ship/company.

You don't absolutely NEED a dangerous cargo endorsement to sail on tankers as an officer, because it is only required if you have direct responsibility for loading/discharge/care of cargo.

[GuinnessMan]

You don't absolutely NEED a dangerous cargo endorsement to sail on tankers as an officer, because it is only required if you have direct responsibility for loading/discharge/care of cargo.

Whoa there, it may not be a legal requirement, but companies will require it and thats for all Officer's on board (not so important for ratings). It's an OCIMF thing......

[Steve]

...but companies will require it...

*Some* companies. It is not a universal requirement for service as an officer on tankers.

[GuinnessMan]

*Some* companies. It is not a universal requirement for service as an officer on tankers.

If any tanker company in the world wants business from an oil major (and that includes nearly all bunker barges) then they are required to have all their vessels registered on OCIMF and submit an TMSA at some stage and one of the requirements from OCIMF is that all the crew have the appropriate DCE, it's even got it's own little section within a crewing matrix. Trust me, it is a requirement to work as an officer on a commercial oil tanker and no one should be under any illusions about it.

Think about it, what tanker company is going to hire someone as an officer without the appropriate certification, especially if it could be the reason why their vessel could be rejected for business (and it doesn't take much for an oil major to reject a vessel, I've seen some ****ing stupid reasons)?

[Steve]

Trust me,

Not a chance!

I've known people hired by BP without DCEs and BP's job adverts are clear that they are an advantage, but not required until you get to top four.

[TheFunktopus]

Not a chance!

I've known people hired by BP without DCEs and BP's job adverts are clear that they are an advantage, but not required until you get to top four.

That's good news to me, as BP was one of the companies I was hoping to work for when I qualify.

Cheers

[GuinnessMan]

Not a chance!

I've known people hired by BP without DCEs and BP's job adverts are clear that they are an advantage, but not required until you get to top four.

Really? For someone new to the tanker industry? Possible. Someone who's been in it for a while? Highly unlikely, so please show us some proof then because it's usually the Oil Majors vetting department that say it's required!

[ETwhat?]

GM that makes no sense, as someone who's been in the tanker industry for a 'while' given that a single contract will be 4 months wont really have any issue getting the DCE and obviously if you've never been on it your going to taken on other merits. However I know deckies who have sailed on ships with no DCE so it would seem that Steve is right

plus you both sound like feckin three year olds seein who can get up the wall the furthest

[GuinnessMan]

GM that makes no sense, as someone who's been in the tanker industry for a 'while' given that a single contract will be 4 months wont really have any issue getting the DCE and obviously if you've never been on it your going to taken on other merits. However I know deckies who have sailed on ships with no DCE so it would seem that Steve is right

plus you both sound like feckin three year olds seein who can get up the wall the furthest

As I said, there may be no legal requirements or a flag state rule, however a vessel will get observations if Officers don't have it and the oil major may even reject your vessel based on that alone (they have rejected vessels for less) or it may be one of their requirements that all Officers have them (because you have to list it on a Officer's Matrix and I know it is requirement for at least three of them). You'll obviously get some leeway if you're just starting on a tanker but they will expect you to get it at some point and plus, if the Owner's say "all must have DCE" (and quite a number of them do) then tough titties as you won't be hired without one.

[tlloyd1983]

GM, what you are describing is a Catch-22 situation, you cannot get a DCE endorsement without doing the Tanker Fam course, and 3 months on a tanker, so how can anyone new to tankers get a DCE?

Anyway, it is not a requirement to work, what I gather from people who have joined tankers after working cargo, you get the time in when you join as a Trainee 3rd Mate, or Trainee 4th Eng, then get the endorsement after your first trip on tankers.