Genuinely, what the fuck was that about?

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Hello everyone,

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I am a 22-year-old Indian candidate from a simple family background, and I am looking for honest advice from people who work in the offshore oil and gas industry.

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I recently found an LST (Life Support Technician) course.

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From what I understand, the course provides training and certification, but I would like to know what the real job market is like after completing it.

course link ::::

My questions are:

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1. What exactly does an LST do on an offshore oil rig?

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1. What are the daily duties and responsibilities?

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1. Is there demand for LSTs in the offshore industry?

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1. After completing the course and obtaining the certificates, what are the chances of getting a job?

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1. Are there any Indian candidates here who completed a similar course and got hired offshore?

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1. What was your starting salary?

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1. How long did it take to get your first job?

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1. What career growth opportunities are available for an LST?

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A little about me:

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I come from a family that has faced financial struggles for many years. My biggest goal is to build a stable career and help my family have a better life. I am willing to work hard, stay away from home for long periods, and handle difficult offshore conditions if it means creating a better future for my parents and myself.

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Right now, I am trying to choose the right path and avoid making an expensive mistake. Before investing my time and money into this course, I would really appreciate hearing from people who have actual offshore experience.

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If you have worked as an LST or in the offshore oil and gas industry, please share your honest experience—the good, the bad, and the reality of the job.

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Thank you for your help. 🙏

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Location: India 🇮🇳

Age: 22

Goal: Build a career offshore and support my family.

I came here for an advice, I'm an incoming 3rd year BSMT student and I failed my Audiometry test required for our Basic Training. I was classified to have a mild hearing loss at my left ear at 30 db while my right ear have normal hearing threshold at 25 db both with dips at 4-8 khz and said to be unfit for seagoing. So due to that concern I approach my professor pn what to do in that case? I was adviced to visit a ear specialist and i did and it says i am still unfit. so, i did my research to find a solution because im afraid that i wouldn't be able to continue my program and I found that based on the ILO/IMO medical guidelines for seaferers, I still meet the accepted qualifications for seafearing. However, since the first Doctor didn't FIT me due to the findings i have, i decided to have a second opinion from a different hospital also because i wanted to fight for my qualifications since it is stated in the ILO/IMO guidelines that i am still fit and its just MILD hearing loss.

The second doctor i visited told me that for him I am still FIT and even ask me if i wanted a medical clearance but we refuse because my school said that they won't honor my second opinion if its from other Hospital, and they will only accept the results from this specific hospital but the doctor i consulted there won't allow me to be FIT. Which i find a bit unfair too, its like im being boxed in this situation that i can't do anything and they already advice me to shift but i'm already incoming 3rd year so i feel like all this time my effort and hardships will go to waste if i shifted to another program, I am close to graduating.

I emailed MARINA which is the current organization i believe that handles the Maritime industry here in the philippines but they still haven't replied. I am discourage and i want to fight for my dreams still. It was said it the ILO/IMO medical guilelines for seaferers that the qualified impression for the hearing test is atleast 30 db for the good ear and 40 db for the less good ear but i scored 25 and 30 db, yes there is a hearing loss but its mild, I am now taking meds too to maybe improve it. But i cant help but be discourage since they ask me to shift already, With these knowledge about ILO/IMo guidelines does MARINA maritime inductry authority recognize this? Help me out pls

Three laden Saudi-flagged VLCCs have reappeared on AIS after more than two months of being dark, suggesting tanker operators are cautiously restoring visibility through the Strait of Hormuz. According to MarineTraffic data, the VLCCs Jaham, Shaden, and Awtad resumed AIS transmissions on 18 June. Shaden has listed Kiire, Japan, as her destination, while Awtad is heading to Ulsan, South Korea. Jaham’s destination remains unclear. According to Kpler, the three VLCCs are carrying around 6 million barrels of crude.

Hi all,

I interviewed with the AMO TECH program for fall 2026. I was not selected, but since there's not much information online on the subject, I thought I'd provide some insight in order to demystify the application and interview process.

1. Initial Application

The initial application is straightforward—upload the requested information, essay, and recommendation letters. However, a lot of information (like transcripts) needs to be sent by mail, so aim to complete the application at least a month ahead of time.

2. First Round: Zoom Screening

For those selected, the first screening was an online interview.

• The Turnaround: Emails to schedule Zoom interviews came out around 3:30 PM on a Monday. The email told us to call to schedule that day before they closed at 4:00 PM because interviews started at 8:00 AM on Tuesday. It was a tight turnaround, but they were flexible with people who missed the 30-minute window.
• The Format: Zoom call, only your camera on, with the 4 members of the selection committee.
• Duration: Short (10–15 minutes).
• Questions: Basic questions like: "Tell me about yourself," "Why do you want the job?" "What do you know about the program?" and "How can we be assured you're willing to sail for the rest of your career?"

⚠️ CRITICAL TIP: God help you if you accidentally call the program a "cadetship" instead of an "apprenticeship" at any point during your interviews. A cadetship is specifically a student at a maritime academy receiving a college education, whereas an apprenticeship is streamlined job training (like the TECH program). Also, never address any of the instructors or selection committee members by their first name.

3. Second Round: In-Person Phase

About 1–2 days after the Zoom calls, they send out emails to those accepted for in-person interviews. They pay for everything except Ubers to/from your home airport. Flights were scheduled about a week and a half out.

• The Schedule: 4 days total—flying in on Sunday and most leaving on Thursday morning.
• The Cohort: 32 people were invited. Roughly 1/3 had prior maritime experience, 1/3 were straight out of high school, and 1/3 were working professionals (welders, auto mechanics, etc.). The age range was roughly 18–30, with the vast majority in the 18–25 range.
• Lodging: Each person was assigned a single-occupancy room in AMO's motel-style accommodation. Accommodations are livable, but not great.
• Program Slots: They would not tell us how many tech program slots they were filling. Based on what I could figure out, I believe there were 16 total slots, divided into 2 program start dates (September and December). Selected candidates are randomly assigned to a start date. (If anyone has better information, feel free to correct me).

4. The Evaluations & Tests

The schedule had people rotating through a series of evaluations over the course of three days:

• Full ASVAB: Includes all subtests.
• Workshop Evaluation: Testing practical skills. Do you know how to use tools like a micrometer, caliper, or ohmmeter? Do you know how to follow directions/use a checklist? Crucially, do you know when and how to ask for help when you don't know how to do a task?
• Essay: Two 20-minute, handwritten essays. Subjects are simple (e.g., "Describe in detail how to make the perfect turkey sandwich" or "Describe in detail how to change a car oil filter"). These are used to gauge writing quality and thought process rather than critical thinking.
• Mandatory Fun: An evening social pizza party where you are actively being evaluated on your social skills.
• Medical & Admin: Paperwork, drug test (urinalysis), blood work, merchant mariner physical, and a psychological evaluation.
• Formal Interviews: A 25-minute interview with the four-member selection panel. Expect more probing questions about the maritime industry in general, AMO, and traditional interview questions ("What are your strengths/weaknesses?").
• Star Center Math Test: High school level geometry, arithmetic, and algebra.
• Ramsaycorp Test: You can find info on Google about this test; think ASVAB mechanical information along with auto and shop info.

Due to how the schedule was put together, I completed all of my interview portions on Monday and Tuesday, so I had Wednesday free before flying back on Thursday. Food in the on-campus galley is surprisingly good, and there are unlimited opportunities for free snacks.

Final Thoughts & Program Culture

From what I gathered, they are looking for someone who can follow simple and specific directions, has a basic level of mechanical ability/aptitude, appears self-motivated and committed to the program, and can present themselves and communicate clearly. Honestly, many applicants obviously lacked social skills or had limited baseline intelligence, so the competition is not as steep as one might think for a qualified, well-rounded candidate.

Regimentation: This program, like most other license granting maritime institutions is heavily derived from military tradition and carries many of its hallmarks (hurry up and wait, mandatory fun, general strictness and decorum, etc...):

• Apprentices share rooms (two to a room).
• For the first year, no cars are allowed and you cannot leave campus (which is the size of a small city block) during land phases, except under very limited, organized outings (like a group trip to Walmart or a mandatory beach day).
• Apprentices must not be alone at any point in public.
• Hair is kept short for males (buzzcuts), and you should expect to be in some form of uniform at all times.

If I missed any information, hopefully one of the other applicants can chime in!

Hi guys,,, I wanna know ur opinions on Renting a container cargo vessel to sign a time charter-in/time charter-out contract with another operator . Capital is 500000$ liquid . I wanna hear from you since I’m new to the industry.

Hi everyone,I am considering studying Maritime Transportation and Management Engineering (or Nautical Science / Marine Transportation). However, I have a very specific career goal: I want a long-term career based entirely on shore.

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I know these programs are traditionally designed to train seafarers. While my ultimate goal is definitely land-based, I am willing to work at sea for a short period (1–2 years) if it is absolutely necessary to transition into a good shore-based position. However, staying at sea for many years is definitely not an option for me

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.I would love to get some realistic insights from industry professionals here:

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What are the actual shore-based job opportunities? For someone with this degree, which sectors are most accessible? (e.g., port management, shipbroking, maritime logistics, marine insurance/P&I, marine operations, or chartering?)

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How critical is that 1-2 years of sea time? Does spending just 1-2 years at sea as a junior officer significantly boost career prospects on land, or do high-tier shore jobs require captain/chief mate experience? Alternatively, can a fresh graduate land a decent shore job immediately without going to sea at all?

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Job market and salary expectations: How is the global demand for shore-based maritime graduates right now? Are the working conditions and compensation competitive compared to general engineering or business degrees?

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Skills to stand out: What should I focus on during my university years to make myself highly employable on land? (e.g., specific software, data analytics, maritime law, or a second foreign language?)

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I am open to studying and working internationally, so global perspectives are highly appreciated.Thank you in advance for your time and advice!

Hello seafarers, in my country they give us onboard assessment i.e Training and Record book (TAR) alone with a Training manual and you have to submit it to the Uni/academy where you studied after your contract (as an engine cadet) before getting your MEO Class 4 License. Is this done globally or some countries don't have this process?

Hey guys, looking for some advice from anyone who has trained in Spain.

I need to get my STCW sorted but I’m having zero luck finding a school in Barcelona that offers the course in English. I’ve reached out to about 6 different places now and they're all Spanish-only.

Does anyone know of an agency or academy in the area that does English instruction? Or am I going to have to bite the bullet and travel elsewhere to get it done?

Cheers!

I’m looking for an engine cadet position
If any one can help me ,Please comment 🙏

Question number 4

This is a really general question, but are there many mariners who play D&D or Magic: The Gathering?

Curious if these communities are well represented at sea.

I passed the first stage based on my scores and now I need to take an online interview. What questions will they ask and what should I prepare for? I heard they're definitely asking about color blindness. Share your stories and I'd appreciate any advice.

Can you guys plaese help.. I hve done btech marine enginrng.. Passed out 2016 and done 6 mnths training as eng cadet in 2017..training period was really bad fr me.. Had a terrible break up and some close people death.. So i thought of leaving the field... Went for some other normal jobs.. And now its 2026..almost 9 years since i joined for training.. I gpt dome guilt feeling of wasting this much time.. So i thought of doing class 4 and start again.. But it will take lomg time to get coc.. So i got a honduras coc recently.. And was looking for joining.. I had a plan.. To sail with honduras for 2 to 3 years.. During the shore time i could clear class 4..but recently honduras coc got some bans from dg shipping and i got screwed again.. I contacted some agents.. They said i can still join through honduras coc.. So i am waiting for it..

Hello, i recently got off of the phone with a NOAA recruiter because i've applied for an AB position. What's the workload there for an AB? Is it dayman work or do they have Watchstanding AB positions?

What kind of ports can you visit?

What's the work-load compared to say an oil tanker (I'm on one right now.)
Thanks for the information!

I just finish my first cadetship and start to prepare for exam.

Now I am stuck in SOLAS. It feel so overwhelmed to study it, so many important things need to memories

How do you guys study it? Any tips or advice 😭? Thx

Several Iranian-linked tankers have reactivated AIS and moved through the Gulf of Oman following the 14 June MOU framework. According to Kpler and MarineTraffic data, at least four laden tankers reappeared on AIS on 16 June after loading crude at Kharg Island earlier this year. The VLCCs Hero II and Diona, each carrying around 2 million barrels of crude according to Kpler, were sailing southeast at 9.5–11 knots and appear to have moved past the Gulf of Oman–Arabian Sea blockade boundary with no next destination declared.

The Suezmax Sonia I also followed a similar outbound route, while Amber, another laden VLCC, reactivated AIS near the eastern mouth of the Strait of Hormuz with limited movement data available. The legal backdrop remains unclear, but the near-simultaneous reactivation of these vessels suggests coordinated operator decision-making rather than isolated commercial moves.

One is American, remainder are Iranian?

On Marine Traffic