/biz/ - Business & Finance

>>12415772
There's no age limit, I've sailed with mates that were well into their 70s. You need to get a TWIC (Transportation Worker's Identity Card) and a MMC (Merchant Mariner's Credential). You can get a TWIC just about anywhere, for an MMC you'd need a commercial company or maritime academy to sponsor you but it's also very easy. You can "hawsepipe" it and start out as an ordinary seaman and work your way up, or go to a 4-year maritime academy and get your officer's license right away.

Either way you make pretty good money. But a merchant mariner is just a catch-all term for anyone employed on a US commercial vessel. The industry varies so widely by region, union, trade, and vessel type that I couldn't give you a simple step-by-step plan. The best route to take for working on Military Sealift Command ships ("greyhulls") wouldn't be the same best route for working on harbor tugs, or tug-barges, or Lakers, or fishing boats, or containerships, etc. etc.

It's a good career. People on shore don't understand it though, most people that ship out end up going back to the beach within a year or two. The ones that stay get institutionalized. And there's basically two types of sailors. There's sailors that are perpetually poor as dirt because all of their money gets spent on booze, whores, child support, alimony, or a wife back home fucking Jody and swiping your credit card. Then there's the ones, like me, that are rich as fuck, but you'd never really be able to tell because I'm never home long enough to spend my money on a whole lot.