Everyone in the Metairie office has a tale to tell, and all of the associates have years of industry experience. The office consists of 12 people who are responsible for the movement and upkeep of several hundred Open Hopper barges. The departments include Administrative, Sales, Transportation, Operations and Dispatch, and Barge Maintenance. From deckhands to management, this staff has been "up and down the river," for many years.
Why does the river beckon? Once you've been exposed to the marine industry, especially the river, it just grows on you. The people you talk to each day are very interesting, and just maybe, there is a little Mark Twain is all of us.
Our staff heralds from many diverse backgrounds, which yields to you a depth of knowledge to get things done!
Nearly all of our operations and sales people have experience "on the boats". We know how it works.
Aggregate Experience
Sales = 50 years
Operations = 150 years
Administration = 50 years
The desire to succeed in any situation is more than prevalent amongst our team.
Of course, there are Vice Presidents, Administrative Assistants and many of the "usual" positions in the M/G Transport office. But most or all of the associates have at some point worked on a barge, in the sort of jobs we don't usually hear about at career fairs. Some of the common positions held in a river transport business include:
Deckhand - Helps put tow together when picking up and dropping off barges and keeps the boat clean. "Clean" means sweeping, mopping, doing galley work, painting the boat and continually checking the barges to ensure they're not taking on water and lines are tight. The Deckhand is supervised by a Mate or by a Lead Deckhand.
Port Captain - Begins career as a deckhand, and works up the ranks until given the opportunity for an office job. A Port Captain may be responsible for dispatchers, oversees needs and supplies on the boat, conducts necessary training for crew members, and is the link between the boat, crew members and office.
Pilot - This term designates wheelhouse personnel. Some Captains refer to themselves as Pilots. The wheelhouse is the top floor of the boat, where the Captain and Pilots steer the boat.
Dispatcher - The barge dispatcher is the person responsible for scheduling barges to move from point A to point B. A dispatcher ensures that barges are at their required dock at the required time, obtains all loading and discharge information and relays that information to the customer. M/G's dispatchers must book rides for barges through other towing companies.
Crew Dispatcher - This dispatcher is responsible for getting crew members to and from the boats. Most companies work 30 days on and 15 days off. The crew dispatcher arranges travel needs, contacts crew members and reminds them when and where crew change will be. If a crew member cannot make crew change, then dispatcher is responsible for finding a replacement.
Barge Maintenance - The associates in this area make sure that barges are kept in good condition. They determine if a barge needs to go into the shipyard for repairs, and arrange for all major repairs on barges.