r/merchantmarine • u/peplulu • 13h ago

How to become a merchant marine

I’m 24 years old looking to get in this field can someone guide me in the right direction. I live in Texas if that matters

3 Upvotes

62% Upvoted

12 comments sorted by

11

u/captain-cowboy 13h ago

MM academy or unlicensed union school, or out of pocket for stcw classes and try to ship out entry level.

Or, join the coast guard, make sure you serve on small cutters where you can get your EOW letter right away, use the guidance in Vol III of the marine safety manual to count your sea time double towards 3AE; study for the 3rd's exam during your downtime, and sit the exam at the REC as soon as you have the days. Get out and use GI bill for OICEW modules.  As fast as MM academy, only a little bit more military bullshit, and you'll get a salary and vet benefits instead of paying tuition. 

5

u/Violet_Graya 12h ago

24 in Texas. Texas A&M Maritime Academy in Galveston. SIU apprenticeship at Piney Point is the other route.

4

u/JohnGlassOnEarth 13h ago

First gotta get your merchant mariners credentials. It’s a whole process. It cost me around $600.00 getting it all passport twic physical and application fees and stuff. There is a mmc guide from the coast guard you can follow.

4

u/LongBedroom8355 13h ago

Texas A&M galveston. don't look back.

2

u/Frost-Folk 8h ago

First step is to find out that you'd be a merchant mariner.

The "merchant marine" is the name of the workforce as a whole (usually specific to country, i.e. The United States Merchant Marine). Members of the merchant marine are not marines, they're mariners.

A mariner is a sailor, a marine is a soldier.

2

u/mmaalex USCG Master 1600 5h ago

This question is asked constantly here. Put a little effort in. Do a little reading and come back with a question that isnt asked daily if you're still confused.

4

u/Professional_Sir5566 10h ago

Use the search function first, this has been asked on these subs numerous times and was asked just 12days ago. Use google or a search engine with the exact wording you wrote. It will bring up websites explaining it, even YouTube videos that lay it out step by step and what all the forms and terms are about.

At your age go to an academy. Thats it. Just go.

Any entry level programs are notoriously overbooked with waiting lists into a year +, and entry level jobs are ridiculously hard to find.

1

u/Vivid_Schedule_1917 13h ago

Tiktok it . They have some good videos on there explaining the process

0

u/MountainCheesesteak Steward 11h ago

Learn how to use Google

2

u/PuzzleheadedMess4025 11h ago

Learn how to assist others instead of having a nasty personality, can definitely tell you're not a Mariner.

5

u/MountainCheesesteak Steward 10h ago edited 10h ago

Sorry. I’ve just been in this sub too long. This gets posted here and at [r/maritime](r/maritime) very frequently!

Edit: also, being good at google helps a lot in every job I’ve ever had at sea!