**Why Offshore Crane Operators such a well-paid job? Part 2**
A few years back, my friend elvis troselj and I were working for Subsea 7 on a project in Turkey. We were collaborating with the pipe-laying vessel *Castorone*, owned by Saipem. As the project was nearing its end, *Castorone* was scheduled to leave, but the weather took a turn for the worse. To finish the job, we had to complete one final lift. Unfortunately, there was only a very small weather window, and we decided not to risk it.
That’s when Turkish Petroleum informed Subsea 7 that if we didn't complete the lift, Subsea 7 would have to pay downtime for up to 3 days for *Castorone*. We were told that the costs, while not exact, would be approximately a million dollars per day for the vessel's time. Our Offshore Construction Manager (OCM) strongly urged us to proceed with the lift, even though the weather window was below what was specified in the risk assessment.
My partner and I agreed to take on the challenge. The lift was incredibly complex, and the harsh weather conditions made the situation extremely tense. However, we managed to complete the lift, and it seems like we saved the company 3 million dollars in just three days of downtime charges, preventing Saipem from earning those same 3 million dollars in delay costs.
This is why offshore crane operators earn such high salaries. The job isn't just about moving heavy loads; it's about making critical decisions under pressure, managing complex operations in challenging conditions, and ultimately saving or earning millions of dollars for the company. Considering that it seems like we saved the company 3 million dollars in just three days, I don’t see any issue with a day rate of 500+ dollars. Our skills and experience are what make that possible, and that's why our work is so highly valued.
Third Engineer / 2nd Engineer @ Jan De Nul Group |
2moAvailable from 10 of September