Seafarer Contracts : An Overview 

One thing to add leaving for Greener Pastures, Is don't burn the bridges you had and the previous Company. This goes for all types of Jobs not just on board a ship. Always leave on good terms. because You never know what might happen in the future. You may have to go back to the same company. or Your old boss might become Your new boss down the road. Plus it is just the correct thing to do.

Chief, Thank You! You would make an excellent "teacher" at whatever seafarer's school was ever lucky enough to have you sign on. RU-vid "authors", like yourself, provide me the opportunity to travel the world and explore all the different careers I've never experienced. You are a blessing to those that seek to learn and experience all the wonders of our world. Again, Thank You!

Good morning Chief MAKOi 😀 Fantastic video as always 👍🏻 Straight taking as always with some great information. RIP Queen Elizabeth 😢🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Very interesting video as always and big thumbs up. Safe travels Cheif Makeoi

Great vlog as always! I know in Norway when we ruled the waves there was to types of sailors. The first type jumped from ship to ship and different companies every single journey. Then you had the other type that stayed with eather the same company or ship or sometimes both, for years. Like you now working for MTM for a lot of year. You had sailors who worked for WWL for 30+ plus years. A friend of mine is a friend of the Captain of M/V Tønsberg. There are only half a dozen Norwegians left in int trade now. Sad, sad, sad. Be safe!

Thanks for posting chief, I'm glad you are back in a place to upload video, smooth sailing ⛵️

Dear Chief Makoi. As experience sailing with my country Ship Flag MISC for coupler of year 25 year ago. A lot of sweet and chalenging as Engine crew very momorable for my entire life. I always watching, thinking & remember all you story and experience from cadet till you high rank as Chief Engineer and you explanation very good knowledge for new youngers as need to be a Soilor...keep always updated a good experience and explanation for Seafarer life...Thank you Chief Makoi...

Always enjoy your videos, Chief. A lot of what you said makes me feel glad that I stayed in a Union for 33 years and am now retired with a pension and health care. Not needing, but eligible for social security and not taking 401k money either. Retired at 56 and cruising the world and happy. Love your videos Chief.

Thanks Chief always a pleasure and very informative 👍🇨🇦 Stay safe

Good day Chief! :D In my opinion nowaday the salaries have decreased quite a lot as same as conditions on board... A part of my family sailed in Norwegian companies when Spanish seafers were so present in the Merchant Navy in general... It isnt unethical to show salaries because it´s a shame that a company pay 300 dolars to a wiper for example... These companies must fall in shame for that. I guess we were at the same time in Tarragona when you had the reparation of a main engine hahahaha Cheers from Spain a 2nd eng.

Great to see another video, Chief! Very interesting set of information, thanks and be well and be safe!

Great video as always Chief. I really feel like I missed the boat “ no play on words intended “ on the whole merchant marine experience in my youth. My father was a M.M., but growing up in NYC, left few opportunities to join the merchant marines back in the 80s. Your videos are a nice consultation. Thank you for posting.

Well Chief you are the only seafaring channel I watch and you never let me down. I do read a LOT of books on the old days of sail. I just wonder what the poor devils who have just been impressed and dragged aboard HMS ????? to quite possible die through scurvy, falling or a 32lb cannon ball might think. Thank God those days are over.

Thanks for another informative and knowledgeable film, Chief. I fully understand your reticence for discussing salaries. But we already know how seafarers are paid - the same way they always have been: a fraction of what your training, experience and dedication are worth, and a whole lot more than any shipowner/ship manager thinks you’re worth. ‘Twas ever thus!

On the Great Lakes we were paid by the hour. As soon as you stepped on board you were paid for 56 hours (or whatever was left in the week) and anything after an 8 hour work day was over time. Companies are so short handed these days even hired as relief chances are you’ll stay on the same boat all season. Usually late March to end of January depending on ice.

Very interesting information, Chief.

Thanks Chief, for again answering questions that I didn’t even know I had.

I always enjoy your explanations of things. Thanks Chief!

Retired OFW here...offshore Chevron Angola and Nigeria....28 days on / 28 days off....ingats Chief !

Thanks Chief, you have answered many of my questions. You do an excellent job and are most professional, I continue to follow your journeys at sea. Blessing to you, be safe and keep up this great content. Aloha!

Great video and I really appreciate you sharing about your life. Chief my favorite part of every one of your videos though, is when you get that little twinkle in your eyes, your eyebrows raise up, and you get that mischievous little smile. Keep it up brother. I really appreciate it.

Hi Chief, I'm a Australian 🇦🇺 Seafarer & regardless of nationalities of other Seafarers i've sailed with with where all paid the same Wage/Salary,no such thing as Race or Inferiority on our coast.The Higher ranks are paid the highest.Unfortunately the F.O.C companies are a pack of greedy assholes,all the Oil & Gas companies care about is profit they make.More they make the companies still don't want to spend it...Scabs!.

Great vid chief as always very informative. As a young man I used to dream of being a seafarer but life tends to sort out who dose what now I can only imagine what I might have missed, can't grumble I have done loads of other stuff but I can still be a little envious of the new lad (apprentice)that gets to work under you he will have a great and fair mentor keep up the good work

binge watching all your previous videos chief and I saw your jacket for RU-vid Nextup. Of all other content creators, yours has the most educational when it comes to Sea farers, I'm not part of the industry , but you explain things that's easy to understand. Waiting for your future contents !

Your video was interesting. Before I retired several years ago, I was a seafarer myself. I had a chief’s license and a radio-electronics officer license as well. Fortunately, I belonged to a union, and they did a good job negotiating the contracts I worked with. Over the years I worked for many different companies and the pay would vary quite a bit. We always got a good health insurance plan and a pension plan as well. Any required training was always paid for by the union including travel and lodging. Travel to and from the ship was always paid for by the union and if I had a long overseas flight of more than 6 hours mostly the company would pay for a business class seat on the airplane. Usually, I worked about 90 days on then 90 days off and my vacation pay was always part of the check I received on signoff. I would always email my dispatcher about when I was ready to work again, and I would be put on the list for a job. For most of my working years getting a position on a ship wasn’t a problem. Sometimes the dispatcher would call me if some unusual short-term job showed up and I often took it. My last five years I always worked on the same ship traveling the same route opposite another seafarer that was in his last years before retirement too. Now I’m collecting my pension and stopped traveling and can just watch your RU-vid videos. The seafarer’s life was fun for me and because of the pension plan managed by the union and financed by the companies I worked for my retirement is comfortable. Keep up the good work. Working on ships isn’t a very well known job but would only be a suitable one for about 20% of the workers out there.

You folks are the unsung heroes of our transportation system.

Very informative. When I belonged to maritime union here in the USA, I worked for one company assigned to one vessel. We were considered permanent employees of the company and pay would be begin the day you traveled to the vessel. All travel arrangements were made for you. Based on our union contract we accrued vacation pay (leave) on a basis of 20 days for every 30 days worked. Our contracted time on board was minimum of 60 days and max of 90. Since we as officers were permanent employees we could work out our own schedules with our reliefs as long as it fell within the 60 to 90 day parameters.

I had always wondered about shipboard life and those who make a living from it. Thanks for sharing with us all Chief, safe voyages to you and your shipmates!

When my father was a small tanker captain for Mobil Oil, they would pay for all of his expenses to and from the ship. You might have to personally pay for airfare, etc, but you would then submit a reimbursement voucher and the would pay you by either check or direct deposit. He lived in Florida and would fly up to NJ. He was considered an employee and received health insurance, vacation pay, etc. Generally with holidays they would receive an extra days pay. Usually that means 12 hours. 6 hours on, 6 hours off, etc.

Another great video Chief, Hello from Australia

Thanks for the informative video I really enjoy watching your videos. My grandfather was a 2nd refrigeraton mate on the President line in the 1940s my grandma made him quit because the war started. I have all his postcards from around the world,and a lot of beautiful things that he bought. Thanks again and I will look forward to more videos

Thank you Chief. I love your show.

Chief, I really enjoy your videos. They are very well done and you have a magnificent voice for narration.

Thanks Chief I greatly appreciate your content!

Missed seeing you and your videos, you always put out a good video and entertaining with your crew mates..

Good vid, Chief. Thanks.

Very well explained. So simple English even anyone could understand. Thank you chief, God bless you and your family. Wishing from Sri Lanka.

Very well explained Chief,spot on,happy sailing.

Interesting indeed! Though I'm not a ship guy, I still find your topics (of basically your life) very informative, of course having an interest in most engineering (& things associated with it) certainly helps. I do have a mate who is very much like me (pretty handy with fabrication & repairs) who works on ships as the go to "Mr. Fix It" guy, it certainly give me an insight into his life aboard too! Cheers from Oz !!

Thanks, Chief Look forward to more videos. Hurry up LOL, take care.

Great to see a new video! Where are you in the world currently? Also, any chance Starlink is coming to your ship?

this was an excellent and well spoke out episode, thank you.

Many mysteries were answered. Thank you!

The World of big ships and merchant sailors is one of a kind. Through your videos and others us land bound folk get an insight into life at sea. And no doubt has inspired a few to join your ranks. I agree with you about not discussing specific wages. How long is a piece of string. I work construction and have done for over forty years. I can take a job that pays Carpenters so much per hour. Unfortunately on the building that experience is not often rewarded. If you are newly qualified you know little but can get the same pay. On site the older guys are the go to but at no benefit to them. I have often thought we should have interim testing and ranking systems. There are supervisor positions but now these require a separate license and are of limited number. At least your industry has more structure to it.

Great video! I have always dreamed of working on a big ship. Very informative! Thanks for sharing!

I'm a banker but this is pretty cool. Awesome to see industries like this have competent leaders out there to spread the word on it.

Excellent episode Chief !!!

That was really an interesting topic Chief! Thanks for sharing this.

really interesting and admire your views on salary information

Awesome content as always Chief!!

Lol a funny thing is…you talked about other seafarers on RU-vid…I thought you were the only one! Well, you are the only one we subscribe to. You have such an interesting job! Nice job on the drone too, we only just got one and it is a nice thing to add to videos. The only one we really uses it on a lot so far is our Skeleton Coast video. It’s a little scary flying it over water isn’t it? Nice video and we will be waiting for the next!

Safe travels my friend. I enjoy and forward to your videos

Thank you chief ur so humble mentor for the seafarer 🙏love from India

Great information. While your job description is very different from mine the basic flow of it is strangely similar (I work in live entertainment and travel the world setting up, running shows and taking them down and moving on to the next city). The contracts, when we are payed from, the travel and hotels. Also the day to day jobs, and finding time for maintenance and up keep of equipment. Thank you for sharing all the this.

Very informative and well explained.

Always good content Chief

Hallo Pare, this was really nice vlog. This is challenging topic - but I really like this one! Kiitos, Danke, Tack, Salamat and Thanks.

This was a very interesting topic you discussed here! In norway (where I work), everyone gets 3x times the salary per day they have to stay extra

Chief thank you you are a gentleman you pick your topic wisely. In on the question of bounce for extended contract. Back in 1970s for Pakistani seamen if you stay beyond twelve months of your contract you would get 25% above your salary up to fifteen months then 50% up to eighteen months and so on. I’m sure I’m right about this as I aged my be my memory is wrong but that’s what I remember.

Chief, Please do a segment on passenger travel on merchant vessels. Thanks. DG

Awesome clip Chief , thanks 😊..

I love seeing your videos. My anak is getting on the ship these week

I very much appreciate your videos. I am learning so much about this subject. Although I could not do this type of work due to age, and more importantly gender, I like to learn. You are a great instructor with vast knowledge. Thank you so much.

Chief, I really admire you! Just noticed you have a star that appears, occasionally, next to your right (starboard) eyebrow when you make certain expressions. Just noticed after watching most of your video's - can only be seen in certain lighting conditions, but it is there & very obvious. Must be a good sign!

thanks so much chief, helps me understand a lot better

Please chief, can you make a video of how seafarers receive medical attention on the way And seafarers medical privileges in general. Thanks, from a number one Fan

The contracts start and end with the passing through of Philippine Immigration? That's great, but it makes me think that there must have been a lot of abuse of OFW Seafarers that led to the creation of that law. Another informative video, Chief!

thanks for the vid, good as always, and interesting!

I really enjoy your videos!

Very professional all the way and I would consider it a privilege to work with you but I am a landlubber. :-)

Great video Chief! Salaries: I think if you discussed ranges in general terms, that might be okay. However, any real details is nobody's business. That's like asking or wanting to know how much you make or asking a farmer how much land he has. Not only is that crass but plain wrong. I do have a question I was hoping you would have delved deeper on. Extended stay: I know in your case, you had a Covid situation where you went way beyond your contract & further, outsider the scope, maybe by a couple of months. Does that change things or is the situation the same? Also, What IF? What is a Seafarer wants to extend or just do another tour or contract on that ship without leaving? That is probably unheard of but what if? Great video. Always treat to see your next posting. Thank you!

This is eye opening 💯

Good day chief, i really adore your videos. Its educational and entertaining. My request is, could you make a video on engine room resource management and leadership qualities. I am an aspiring engineer. Thanks.

If your contract is only for 6 months, then 'Leave,' isn't really a concern, is it? I guess there's leave for being hurt, or a medical procedure. Maybe. It's good to see you getting your new ship whipped into shape! New paint and repairs, she'll shine soon! Have a great life Chief, be safe, and always, God bless!

I totally agree with you Chief. Salary should not be and will never be a topic that should be discussed in public or even with anyone else except with your wifey (maybe). I really hate it when someone is asking you how much do you earn for a living. That is none of their business.

Nice job Chief.

Very informative and well explained👋

Appreciate the explanation

Chief please make a video about how to starting a Engine, and boiler. For us students, THANK YOU CHIEF!!!!!

Chief, big fan. How about a video on your path to becoming a Chief Engineer or as we say in the Navy "CHENG".

Great Video Sir. Thank You!

An interesting topic as usual.

Chief sana po magkaroon din po kayo ng video about dun sa mga na repat due to medical reasons especially yung mga napauwi under contract. Maraming Salamat po 🙏

I used to be involved in offshore crew movements and often the terminal operator did not have access to the vessel. What exactly goes happens when a tanker for instance comes alongside, sometimes its an hour or more to get the "umbilical's" connected! This was true for on signers and off signers.

thanks for the video, it was very informative! Could you do a video on generators and electricity management aboard a ship? I think it would be a very interesting subject. I always wondered why cargo ships would need to produce thousands of KW of electricity, when and how, and how generators are setup and fueled!

Can't claim to know about merchant ships, but if there's one thing I learned in the Marine Corps, it's that you can't be afraid of work if you plan to do anything associated with ships, and I learned that quickly with only 3 weeks of sea time under my belt. I mean, I worked hard because that was my job, but the man I was sent to work for was there when I showed up and stayed at least an hour later than my average [13 hours per] day. IN PORT!!! This man OWNED that part of the ship, and he was a mere E5. Those who put to sea have my respect, military or otherwise: There's no place for slacking.

Thank you chief

Thanks Chief!

Always keep safe chief

Another educational video Chief. I'm thinking a new AB would want and experienced sailor to look at your first contract. The small print is what bites you in the ass. Good ethics too. Pay is not a public topic when many factors enter into the equation.

In France we try to brake the secret of the salaries. Because at last it's bad for workers and good for companies only.

Great video

Chief you have a good sail.

Just wondering why these companies don’t try to rotate the same crews on the same ships. You would thing that having a intimate understanding-of a specific vessel would have lots of benefits. Great video,

That was quite interesting - the video was over and I was still engaged.

Chief MAKOi is so great that they should create a manga story based on his adventures and call it 'Pinoy Seafarers' similar to the one called Zipang that has a military setting, it would be awesome 😉

good job master

i like your screen saver selection

hey my daughter wants to know more about the command structure on a ship. like what would happen if captain was incapacitated? love your vids chief gl

This is also company dependent as third and second mate I often got a choice of ship and also had flexible leave if I asked to come back early or stay on leave longer it would usually be accommodated but I worked for a small company