OCA Odessa Crewing Agency

I applied through them using a Croatian seaman's book and three fabricated contracts. I had an interview with the superintendent and joined the vessel seven days later. I have already worked for 3.5 months, and everything has been fine. I paid half a salary after joining the vessel.

I dealt with OCA and passed an interview. They then sent me a contract printed in Word, without the captain's signature, and the vessel's flag did not match the flag stated in the contract. When I questioned this, they told me that I had been approved and should wait for the flight. I refused the offer.

I am currently on a contract arranged by OCA. I had only one previous contract and used a new, clean Croatian seaman's book, so no fabricated entries were needed. They placed me on a vessel within two weeks, and I paid a reasonable fee for the placement.

I contacted them about joining as a chief officer on a container ship. They actively called and messaged me, asked for half a salary from the first paycheck, and required a Mariupol seaman's book for $1,000 to add fabricated sea service. After I sent my documents and the money for the book, they became difficult to reach and kept saying that they were waiting for a company's response. After a month and a half, nothing had been found, and they also delayed sending my passport back for a week.

I received my seaman's book back from the agency the day after I asked for it. I also attended a 1.5-hour interview with the receiving company's superintendent. The personnel were working, although the process seemed to suffer from a lack of time and attention to detail.

I used them to prepare a package of documents. The prices and processing times were exactly as agreed, and I recommended them to friends who also used their services.

I used their services for documents several times when I was under time pressure. Everything was handled promptly and at a reasonable price. The last time I used their Telegram bot, which was convenient.

I was told that I could join as a second officer, but the agency entered my position and experience incorrectly in my CV. They stated that I was a second officer applying for a second officer position, although I had four contracts as chief officer, and they listed my certificate level as OOW instead of Chief Mate. They also distorted my employment history and sent that information to the shipowner. No one from the shipowner contacted me, and I lost three weeks, despite being promised a joining date within three weeks.

I had been unable to sail as a fourth officer for a long time, but OCA helped me start in that position. I am very grateful for their assistance.

They helped me get started in 2013 and assisted with my documents more than once. Everything was handled properly and without problems. I recommend them.

They helped me with my documents quickly and in an organized manner. They stayed in contact and answered promptly, including on weekends. I recommend them.

I worked through Odessa Maritime Group on a chemical tanker carrying diesel fuel. The vessel was in very poor condition, with a hole in the hull, defective machinery, and only two of three generators working. Food and supplies were inadequate, the crew went without toilet paper and bedding for several months, and the workwear tore the next day. We also made voyages to a pirate area without security or payment, and I received only $450 as an engine rating after paying $1,200 to be sent on the vessel.

I worked through Odessa Maritime Group as a Third Engineer and was not paid for three to four months. I had to recover the money through the ITF, which fortunately succeeded. The crewing manager kept saying that he was doing something but ultimately took no responsibility for my situation. I strongly advise seafarers to avoid this crewing company.

OCA arranged my employment, and I am now working at sea through this placement. The time from application to joining was about one month, so I was somewhat nervous, but the result was positive.

They called me about a fourth engineer position with a salary of $2,200 and a 5+-1 contract. They first asked for $1,000 for the placement, then urgently requested another $700 to replace my seaman's book because my previous experience was as a motorman and cadet. I did not proceed after that.

I came into the gas fleet through this agency, and the sea service in my file was their work in more senses than one — drawn service is part of what they sell. Four contracts on a VLGC later, the trap has closed from the other side: I want to move to a better company, but any employer that checks my record will get silence, because the agency does not respond to verification requests from anyone. That silence protects the fabrication — and it also means the genuine contracts I have actually sailed since can be dismissed as drawn along with the rest. My advice to anyone on this route: keep every contract, payslip, letter of guarantee and ok-to-board from day one, because the agency's confirmation will never come. Colleagues in the same position reach the same wall — the real experience becomes as unprovable as the fake.

Terms upfront: my seaman's book had to be processed through them and the first salary went to the agency. In exchange I moved from Fourth Engineer on LPG to Third Engineer on LNG — a rank up and a fleet up in one move. The contract was real, the promotion was real, and the LNG time opened the door to the established company where I now work. I am not defending the fee model; I am reporting that in my case the goods were delivered.