My experience with the company was very poor, especially on container ships. Salaries were paid, but the vessels were in scrap-like condition, spare-part supply was extremely weak, and the food was very bad. There were many difficult people on board and a large amount of paperwork. This was the worst experience of my seagoing career.
I worked for the company a long time ago, in 2005–2006. At that time, I served on a new container ship with four Greek senior officers. The provisions were good, and the route was well organized, with five ports over almost two months. This is an old experience and may no longer reflect the company today.
In my experience, the company has a large fleet and offers good opportunities for career growth. Salaries are paid on time, and senior officers can use Starlink on board; senior officers generally have four-month contracts, although in practice they may last five or six months. The fleet and supply situation vary by division: some vessels are new, while others are in poor condition, and spare parts are subject to cost-cutting. Food quality depends heavily on the captain and cook, and crew changes and sign-off arrangements are poorly organized. I progressed from fourth engineer to chief engineer with the company, but I left because of contracts exceeding five months, savings on spare parts, and problems with joining and repatriation.
I worked for Tsakos on a 2019-built bulk carrier under a four-month contract, but in practice I barely managed to leave after almost nine months. The vessel was new, but critical spare parts were supplied extremely slowly and inadequately. In my view, the owners' attitude and the supply problems will cause the vessels to deteriorate within a few years. Internet access on board cost $100 for 1 GB.
I worked on a company vessel as a third engineer. I had to push back against an experienced motorman who refused to change generator turbocharger filters because it had previously been done by the third engineer. The engine department also had to take on deck-related work, such as tank cleaning and cargo heating, when the deck department could not be trusted to do it safely. This was a difficult working environment with conflicts between departments and uneven professionalism among the crew.
I have worked for the company for three contracts: two on 40,000 DWT Framaxes and the last one on a 74,000 DWT steam-powered vessel. The ships I served on were in reasonably good condition for their age, although spare parts were supplied economically and food was also subject to cost-cutting. Salaries are not among the highest, but there are rejoining, vetting and Coast Guard bonuses; career growth is average, and crew changes are unpredictable. The company has plenty of vessels and work is usually available, but the quality of the crew and shore support depends heavily on the superintendent and chief engineer.