Life as a Deckhand or Tankerman Trainee

You can earn over $30,000 in your first year of employment at Kirby and as much as $41,000 by the time you've completed your second year. 

The Basic Deckhand class is an entry level program for inexperienced new hires entering the marine industry and is held at our industry-leading United States Coast Guard-approved Training Center. The program is 12 days in duration and incorporates both formal classroom and hands-on training techniques. Room and board is provided at no cost to you. The Training Center is located in Channelview, Texas.

All learning materials are provided free of charge.

After training, you will be assigned to a training vessel where you will meet your new shipmates.  Your bi-monthly pay will begin after boarding the vessel and will include days accrued at the Training Center. 

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Welcome to your home away from home!

Where do I eat?

Normally the dining area is connected to the cooking area. The crew eats around the settee or (dining room table). This is also where the crew spends time relaxing between work assignments or when off watch. This is an example of a typical settee.

Food is prepared by all crew members in the kitchen of the boat called the Galley. Each boat is given a generous budget for groceries. Food is prepared family style to include meals such as pot roast, spaghetti meat balls, etc.

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All Kirby boats are equipped with a personal computer (2nd Boat PC). These are to be used for e-mail access to family and friends.You will be assigned a unique e-mail address for your boat e-mail and can access it from a personal computer anywhere in the world. Our boats stay in cell phone coverage most of the time, although it is possible that in certain areas there might not be coverage.

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Kirby travels the entire inland waterway system. This includes the Gulf Coast, to what we call the Western Rivers, including the Ohio River which goes all the way to Pittsburgh, Illinois River which takes you to Chicago, to the Lower and Upper Mississippi which go from Louisiana to St. Louis (and further north).We also have tows that travel Alabama up to Decatur, Alabama.

Are you looking for adventure on the water?