I received my travel expenses only after the contract, and the final allotment was delayed by one and a half months. I decided to say goodbye to Columbia.
I worked for Columbia for almost three years. If you start as a rating, you will most likely finish as a rating because the company does not promote people from the deck department. Career progression is available mainly through the cadet program. Salaries are average, while top officers receive excellent pay.
I worked for the company for two contracts. It is a normal and stable company, and salaries were paid on time. The vessels were modern.
I worked one contract with Columbia. My salary was paid on time, the food was acceptable, and the living conditions on the 2019 tanker were good. However, the machinery was unreliable, with constant scrubber and pump leaks. I waited four months after the interview before joining, and I was signed off on time; there was no promotion from ratings except through the cadet program.
I completed all the tests and interviews, but the crewing manager then ignored me and did not answer. After 1.5 months, they finally asked whether I was at sea, even though they had initially said the joining was urgent and that people were needed immediately.
I went through the interview and tests at Columbia. The promised ASAP joining was delayed for two months, even though the vessel had already been selected. I eventually got tired of waiting and left for another company; the crewing manager stayed in contact, although not consistently.
I went through the entire selection process at Columbia: tests and an interview with a mentor. I was hoping to join them, but they kept postponing the decision for almost a month. In the end I was very disappointed and accepted a position with another company. Salaries for junior officers on tankers were below the market.
I completed all the required tests and interviews for a cadet position. They called me about an available vacancy and required me to pass a medical examination in Odesa at my own expense. I completed the medical examination, but they never called me back; when I contacted them myself, they only kept postponing the answer. I lost time and eventually joined another company.
I worked on a Columbia-managed container ship. I was told that the contract would be four months, but in practice I stayed almost nine months before I could leave. The vessel was new, but spare-parts supply was catastrophically slow and insufficient, and the owners' attitude was poor. Internet cost $100 per 1 GB.
I am currently working through Columbia on a 100,000 dwt crude oil tanker managed by the company. Internet access is extremely poor: there are 20 passwords per month, each providing 100 MB, and one password can be used for only 90 minutes per day. The connection is so slow that banking and even basic messaging are difficult. I have been on board for a month and would not recommend joining a Columbia-managed vessel if there is another option.
This was my first contract with CSM on a bulk carrier managed by CTM. I have been on board for one month and everything is satisfactory so far. Starlink internet is limited to 10 GB per month with no option to buy more, while bottled water is provided free of charge at three blocks per month.
I worked for Columbia on a cruise ship. I did not like the experience and left after six weeks at my own expense. Before that, the company had not allowed me to leave until I was almost a month short of completing the contract.