How to join the merchant marines?

How does one join the merchant marines?

• whats the benifits...and whats the downside?

• Answer:

  Merchant marine officers are usually trained at a maritime academy. These include the federal United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York and six state maritime academies: Maine Maritime Academy in Castine; Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Buzzard's Bay; State University of New York Maritime College in the Bronx, Texas Maritime Academy in Galveston, California Maritime Academy in Vallejo and the Great Lakes Maritime Academy in Traverse City, Michigan. It is becoming increasingly difficult for unlicensed mariners to become hawsepipers and earn their merchant marine license due to increased requirements for formal training. To do so, a mariner must have sufficient sea time in a qualified rating and complete specified testing and training, such as that required by STCW. The personnel of the Merchant Marine are men and women with a United States Coast Guard Merchant Marine License or a Merchant Marine Document. Individuals serving in officer positions do so under the authority of Merchant Marine License. Officer positions include Master, Chief Mate, Second Mate, and Third Mate in the deck department, and the Chief Engineer, First Assistant, Second Assistant, and Third Assistant Engineers in the engineering department. Pilots are also considered Officers and are licensed by the Coast Guard. Other crewmembers serving in nonofficer positions do so under the authority of Merchant Marine Document (MMD) rather than a License. The official classifications are Able Bodied Seaman, Ordinary Seaman, Qualified Member of the Engineering department (Oiler, Wiper, Motorman, Machinist, Electrician, Refrigration Engineer etc.), Steward and Tankerman. All are employed by the carrier or ship operator, as employees of the transportation or utility company ashore. In times of war, Merchant Marine officers may be designated as military officers by the Department of Defense (DoD).