Deck hand position

[Phoenix_V]

Interesting small ad spotted  on DBA website - wish I was a bit younger!

 

"Deck hand (FMD) wanted

This is a long term position with the possibility to take over the ship eventually.
Pay is according to experience, minimum €1000 food, accomodation is free.

MS Einigkeit is 62 m x 6 .4 and carries 500 tons.

Aft accomodation: Bedroom, guest room, living room, kitchen and bath
Forward accomodation: Bedroom, kitchen, toilet and sink

Engine aft. Mercedes OM404, heating system, Batteries etc.
Bowthruster Daf 180 HP, Genset Deutz 25KVA

We operate between Fürstenwalde (east of Berlin) and north west Germany (Bremen, Oldenburg and a few smaller places in that area). 95% of our cargo consists of animal feed (grain, soya pellets etc.)

Because of our small size, we can operate in the small canals and rivers. There is little competion from larger vessels, so there is always more cargo available then we can cope with.

We essentially work 12 month per year, sometimes the winter stops us with too much ice so we can go skiing. In the summer, we try to have a holiday for a few weeks, usually Italy or Spain. Sometimes we sneek in the odd day off like last Saturday in Berlin.

We usually start at 0700 and tie up at 1900. 12 Hours days and 7 days per week sounds punishing, but it´s a relaxed "working" day. modern barges drive themself, so it´s more of a supervisory role. There is nothing to stop me or my wife to catch a few hours sleep while the ship is chugging along.

I would not call my engine room automated, but during the day, nobody needs to go down there. We just check oil and water in the morning and there is nothing to do down there during the day.

Loading and unloading is done by the port workers, we just move the hatch covers."

 

[Stilllearning]

10 minutes ago, Phoenix_V said:

Interesting small ad spotted  on DBA website - wish I was a bit younger!

 

"Deck hand (FMD) wanted

This is a long term position with the possibility to take over the ship eventually.
Pay is according to experience, minimum €1000 food, accomodation is free.

MS Einigkeit is 62 m x 6 .4 and carries 500 tons.

Aft accomodation: Bedroom, guest room, living room, kitchen and bath
Forward accomodation: Bedroom, kitchen, toilet and sink

Engine aft. Mercedes OM404, heating system, Batteries etc.
Bowthruster Daf 180 HP, Genset Deutz 25KVA

We operate between Fürstenwalde (east of Berlin) and north west Germany (Bremen, Oldenburg and a few smaller places in that area). 95% of our cargo consists of animal feed (grain, soya pellets etc.)

Because of our small size, we can operate in the small canals and rivers. There is little competion from larger vessels, so there is always more cargo available then we can cope with.

We essentially work 12 month per year, sometimes the winter stops us with too much ice so we can go skiing. In the summer, we try to have a holiday for a few weeks, usually Italy or Spain. Sometimes we sneek in the odd day off like last Saturday in Berlin.

We usually start at 0700 and tie up at 1900. 12 Hours days and 7 days per week sounds punishing, but it´s a relaxed "working" day. modern barges drive themself, so it´s more of a supervisory role. There is nothing to stop me or my wife to catch a few hours sleep while the ship is chugging along.

I would not call my engine room automated, but during the day, nobody needs to go down there. We just check oil and water in the morning and there is nothing to do down there during the day.

Loading and unloading is done by the port workers, we just move the hatch covers."

 

Sounds like an interesting opportunity for a person with good German language skills.

[Mike Tee]

Also sounds like a good opportunity for someone who wants good German language skills - total immersion is far better than classes. Wish I was a bit younger too, and not just for the job opportunity!

[blackrose]

And for someone who can handle manual work in freezing temperatures. East of Berlin gets very cold in winter!

[MartynG]

[David Mack]

And, presumably, someone who has a right to work in Germany post B!@#$t.

[Jen-in-Wellies]

9 minutes ago, blackrose said:

And for someone who can handle manual work in freezing temperatures. East of Berlin gets very cold in winter!

And for someone with an EU passport. Freedom of movement for work goes both ways.

 

Edited to add: Post clash with @David Mack!

Edited December 29, 2021 by Jen-in-Wellies

[Mike Tee]

In the advert, what is 'FMD'? (Also, I wonder if a visa is needed post Brexit!).

[Jen-in-Wellies]

1 minute ago, Mike Tee said:

In the advert, what is 'FMD'? (Also, I wonder if a visa is needed post Brexit!).

An acronym from three very long compound German words?

[Dav and Pen]

They call it a small ship at 62m and compared to a 1000 toner it is but it’s still a big beast to most of us. When you see the 38m working into a lock in central France you can see the skill needed to avoid expensive repairs.

[TheBiscuits]

1 hour ago, Mike Tee said:

In the advert, what is 'FMD'?

 

Female/Male/Diverse gender.  It's a legal requirement for German job adverts.

 

Basically it says you don't have to be a bloke to apply.

[MartynG]

25 minutes ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

And for someone with an EU passport. Freedom of movement for work goes both ways.

For a UK passport holder I have no doubt a visa would be required but is that a problem?

EU citizens are still working in the UK and I am sure the reverse is true.

 

 

[Mike Tee]

15 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

Female/Male/Diverse gender.  It's a legal requirement for German job adverts.

 

Basically it says you don't have to be a bloke to apply.

Looks like you don't have to be anything!

[Jen-in-Wellies]

14 minutes ago, MartynG said:

For a UK passport holder I have no doubt a visa would be required but is that a problem?

EU citizens are still working in the UK and I am sure the reverse is true.

 

 

It is different if you were living/working in the country prior to Brexit. This is why so many EU citizens who were here then are still here and visa versa. For new movers, in both directions, things are rather more complicated than they used to be. Getting a residence permit in Germany when your residence is mostly a boat on the move through a number countries could be fun!

[MartynG]

16 minutes ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

It is different if you were living/working in the country prior to Brexit. This is why so many EU citizens who were here then are still here and visa versa. For new movers, in both directions, things are rather more complicated than they used to be. Getting a residence permit in Germany when your residence is mostly a boat on the move through a number countries could be fun!

I guess the people voted for tighter border controls as that's what they have received .

 

In any case it's not much of a job, more a way of life  - 7 days a week x 12 hrs a day with the occasional day off doesn't sound very attractive.

[Phoenix_V]

The visa will be the major issue for UK citizens I have no idea how much of an issue.

For anyone who has worked a UK narrowboat such as one of the fuel boats I imagine this would be very much a holiday.

There was some mention that the owners were looking towards retirement and possibility of purchase and taking over boat in future.

[Jen-in-Wellies]

1 hour ago, MartynG said:

I guess the people voted for tighter border controls as that's what they have received .

Yup. Keeping out the foreigns works both ways. this one probably counts as a low skilled job too, which makes getting a visa much harder. Not exactly brain surgeon, or rocket scientist.

[Bee]

4 hours ago, Dav and Pen said:

They call it a small ship at 62m and compared to a 1000 toner it is but it’s still a big beast to most of us. When you see the 38m working into a lock in central France you can see the skill needed to avoid expensive repairs.

Just love watching Madame steering a 38m into a lock,steering with one hand, standing on a box to see out,  writing a shopping list with the other hand, keeping the kids and dog under control and nattering on the phone all at the same time.  Brilliant.

[MartynG]

2 hours ago, Phoenix_V said:

The visa will be the major issue for UK citizens I have no idea how much of an issue.

Make your mind up !

 

[Phoenix_V]

3 hours ago, MartynG said:

Make your mind up !

 

Apparently you can get a German work permit if you can show that you have a job offer and no EU citizen is available to do the job (slightly easier process for some countries such as Australia) but then I suspect a German's chances of getting a UK visa to work on a UK fuel boat would be zilch

There must however be plenty of Irish passport holders on cwdf who might  be interested???

[MartynG]

5 minutes ago, Phoenix_V said:

 I suspect a German's chances of getting a UK visa to work on a UK fuel boat would be zilch

The UK can't afford to shut out labour from other countries . 

[Phoenix_V]

4 minutes ago, MartynG said:

The UK can't afford to shut out labour from other countries . 

true but they are

[MartynG]

13 minutes ago, Phoenix_V said:

true but they are

It's what the people voted for of course . 

 

 

[junior]

This thread will belong in the politics section soon.

[Jim Riley]

3 hours ago, junior said:

This thread will belong in the politics section soon.

There'll be no help there, those responsible, when asked any pertinent questions, can't even sing lalalalala in tune or to the same beat. 

Edited January 2, 2022 by Jim Riley