Page 20: of Maritime Logistics Professional Magazine (Q3 2015)

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career pro? le

Climbing the Hawsepipe

Getting Involved With Mercy Ships

Tretheway’s ? rst marine license was a 50 ton inland mas- ter with sail auxiliary endorsement, followed soon thereafter

Mercy Ships is easily accessible via the website with a coastal license. Early on, he also earned an AB ticket, www.mercyships.org. There is a team dedicated where, he says, you had to demonstrate some skill before a to facilitating mariners in the Human Resources stone-faced Master Chief. Growing up on Puget Sound, Tim’s department to help navigate and understand the early years were spent on the water, ? shing with his father

Mercy Ships system. Tretheway says mariners should think about the positive impact his or her and grandfather, and sailboat racing with friends. Still another skills can have and also the bene? t from living in family member, an uncle was a commercial ? sherman, and an almost-family atmosphere on board. If one is

Tretheway gained some experience there, as well. Eventually, looking for wild parties and chasing skirts, this is he began to deliver boats up and down the sound, and later all not the place. Mercy Ships is a faith-based organi- over the region.

zation, but if you can accept this and follow a basic

Tretheway looks back and says, “I am glad I can say I am code of conduct, it is an amazing place to meet a hawse-piper. The years of hands-on experience, including and work with great people from all around the wire rigging – which you generally don’t see any more, gave world. For the mariner motivated to do something me insights and understanding that just does not come from to use their skills beyond the ordinary, Mercy Ships a book or classroom. I had great instructors: an ex-USCG can be a satisfying way to go. New or aspiring

CPO, a true British tar from Glasgow whose accent was in- mariners can come for a taste of life on board and comprehensible but skills unsurpassed, a Master from India, bene? t from the continual training and exposure a former U.S. Naval of? cer and many, many others. I tried to to the world in a unique way. Tretheway then sug- learn something from every of? cer, captain and AB I served gests returning to the commercial world until ob- with, and that included the engineers too.” He adds, “Being a taining management level licensing. That would be hawse-piper silenced many grumblings, because every order a great time to then return, with funds in hand, and

I have given to a rating has been backed up with real experi- look at a longer-term commitment. Another way for ence, so there can be no complaint.” mariners to be involved could be to support/spon-

Tretheway’s career took off long before STCW came into sor a fellow mariner, possibly from the developing play, and he managed to qualify for some MARAD training, world, so that they can serve on board and maybe which predated and (he insists) far exceeded the current BST make a living at it. In this way, you have a share in requirements. He explains, “This early training initially gave the amazing outcomes for the patients and still are me some deferment time as STCW standards were debated involved from a maritime point of view.

20 Maritime Professional 3Q 2015| | 18-33 Q3 MP2015.indd 20 9/18/2015 9:40:21 AM