I completed one contract with the company and returned home safely. The office told me that, if I wanted to work with them again, my documents had to remain valid for another year, even though they were still valid for 11 months. I completed another contract, but then moved to a different company. The ships and crew conditions seemed to depend largely on luck.
I was invited by a crewing agency to join Star Bulk Carriers Corp and learned during the interview that some of the vessels operate in areas affected by the Houthi threat. I declined the opportunity because of the expected operational risk.
I am currently on a vessel that was transferred from OSM to Star Bulk Carriers Corp about two months ago. Compared with the previous arrangement, the salary is lower, the food allowance is smaller, and the contracts are longer. I do not yet have enough experience under the new arrangement to assess the spare-parts supply.
I worked for the company in 2018. Spare parts were poor quality and requests could take up to six months to arrive. The food was below average, while my salary was paid on time. My five-month contract lasted six and a half months, and I had to persuade the company to let me leave.
I worked for the company once as an electro-mechanical officer for a four-month contract and completed about three and a half months. I was the only Ukrainian crew member, while the rest of the crew were Filipino. The food was spicy and insufficient, but my salary was paid on time, work clothes and shoes were provided, and the essential supplies were available. The vessel had a scrubber that caused extra work, but after I stopped engaging with it, the workload became more manageable. A handover was carried out, with a 15-minute changeover.
I completed two contracts with Star Bulk Carriers Corp. The vessels were in average condition, and the engineers complained about a lack of spare parts. The crews were mostly Filipino, and during my second contract most of the Ukrainian crew were replaced, with only the senior officers remaining. The office knew about a crack in a ballast tank that caused water ingress and a list, but treated it as a minor problem and suggested installing a support. I was not offered another contract because the crewing agency said the company was no longer hiring Ukrainian junior officers.
I was offered a position through the company for $850 despite having seven years of experience, so I declined the offer.
I had a quiet period at work and wanted to increase my deadweight, so I accepted an offer from Star Bulk through the crewing agency. The salaries here are quite modest, with a maximum of 9500 for the chief and 300 for seniority, which accumulates over 5 years. The shipowner is very particular about paperwork, requiring many tests and training, and it feels like they think they are paying more than the stated salaries. Regarding documents, the company has a rule that they must be valid for at least 12 months when going on a voyage, even though the contract is for 5 months. I had a relationship with them for more than a month, but I didn't go on a voyage because the ship was stuck at anchor for a long time. I told the crewing agency that I couldn't wait indefinitely for boarding with Star Bulk, and they understood, but were unsure if the Greeks would understand. From what I've heard from those working there, the paperwork is not critical, as it depends on the supervisor. The crews are mostly Filipino, with 1-2 of our people on board. I had an online interview with a Greek that lasted an hour and a half.