"Seem" like is the keyword. Most boats are full of miserable a-hole people. Nobody wants to be there, captains are neurotic psychotic ego tripping weirdos, everyone talks trash about everyone, bunch of drama queen like school girls, and bitching and moaning. I'm a pilot on these towboats and it's an extremely boring lifestyle, although at some points can be exciting when you make a mistake and almost T-bone a bridge pillar or get run over by a ship. Other than that I get paid handsomely and the deck guys get paid pennies for busting their asses. Lots of backstabbing deck guys that want to be the captains little pet. Lots of uneducated idiots working decks that have zero braincells and make life really hard when you're trying to get a job done. Genuine and happy people? I've worked for 13 years as a pilot and relief captain and I'd say 95 percent of people are miserable a-holes just trying to make it through the hitch.
6 on and 6 off was the same schedule on the sub except we had 3 watch sections so the day was dogged. Returning to a 24 hour schedule was tough after 30 days submerged.
Now that would be interesting to go there and work. See how they accomplish their task and maybe learn a few tricks of their trade compared to how we do it in the East. I can see many similarities in this short video. But there are differences too, such as barge and lock size.
14 on 14 off wouldn't be to bad. I do 14 on and 6ish off. I always get called back early. It becomes your life. Unless you have a family it's pointless to rent a house you never use. Kinda sucks