Tug Mate -Linehaul

About the job

Job Summary A Linehaul Tug Mate assists the captain in the safe and efficient operation of a tugboat engaged in linehaul towing, which involves transporting barges over long distances. This role includes assisting with navigation, overseeing deck operations, and ensuring adherence to safety protocols. It's a physically demanding job that requires teamwork, adaptability, and strong leadership skills.

Essential Functions • Helping the Captain with navigation, including using navigation equipment and maintaining the vessel's course. • Making and breaking tow lines, handling rigging during tow building, locking, and docking activities • Overseeing and participating in deck operations, including line handling, mooring, and general maintenance of the deck equipment. • Ensuring the safety of the crew, vessel, and towing operations. This includes conducting safety drills, inspections, and maintaining logs and reports. • Performing scheduled preventative maintenance, such as cleaning, scraping, painting, and changing fluids and filters on the vessel. • Maintaining clear and effective communication with the Captain, crew, and shore personnel. • Build tows using cables and lines to assist others on the vessel in preparing barges for the loading, transporting, and discharging aggregate barges. • Assist coworkers with handling and assembling deck lines, rigging during tow building, and locking and docking activities. • Perform scheduled preventative maintenance, including cleaning, scraping, painting, and changing all oil and filters throughout the vessel.

Critical Competencies • Health, Safety and Environmental Management - Implements and uphold policies and practices that ensure workplace safety, promote employee well-being, and minimize environmental impact. This includes regulatory compliance, risk assessment & mitigation, workplace safety culture, incident response & prevention, sustainability & environmental stewardship and training & engagement. • Decision Making - Makes informed, effective, and timely decisions by evaluating available information, considering potential outcomes, and choosing the best course of action; analyzes options, weighs risks and benefits, and uses sound judgment to reach decisions that align with organizational goals and values. • Employee Engagement - Ability to cultivate a positive work environment where employees feel valued, motivated, and actively contribute to the organization, essentially encompassing behaviors that foster a sense of purpose, autonomy, growth, impact, and connection within the workforce. • Communicates Effectively - Communicates in ways that provide clarity of message, projects a credible and confident image to a diverse set of internal and external stakeholders and audiences and maximizes impact. • Conflict Resolution - Ability to effectively address, manage, and resolve conflicts within a team or organization; identifies the source of the conflict, understands the perspectives of all parties involved, and facilitates a solution that is fair, constructive, and aligned with organizational goals; maintains a positive working environment, prevents disputes from escalating, and promotes collaboration among team members.

Responsibilities

Education • Must possess necessary maritime licenses and certifications, such as those required by the STCW (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping) and GMDSS (Global Maritime Distress and Safety System). • A valid Merchant Mariner Credential is required.

Experience • Typically requires several years of experience in maritime operations, with a significant portion spent as a mate or in a similar leadership role. • Must have previous experience of the successful completion of Vulcan’s training program. Training aboard the inner harbor tugs is preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities • Strong understanding of navigation, seamanship, vessel safety protocols, and maintenance procedures. • Must have knowledge of general principles and practices regarding marine safety and operations. • Excellent communication, interpersonal, and leadership skills are essential, along with the ability to adapt to challenging situations and work effectively in a team. • Act in full compliance with company rules and policies as well as U.S.C.G mandates. • Must demonstrate the ability to solve problems regarding mechanical, crew, and weather issues. • Must have the ability to manage the vessel and crew in regard to upkeep and safety.

Other Requirements • Travel on vessel over long periods of time. • Adjusting to changing assignments, weather conditions, and operational demands. • Oversee all crew member responsibilities and training. Manage and schedule deckhand daily and weekly duties. Coordinate vessel maintenance to be performed on board by the crew. • Perform daily inspections and maintenance of the vessel's interior and exterior to ensure safe working conditions.

Salary Range. The daily rate for this role is between $650.00 - $750.00 daily. This range is not inclusive of our discretionary bonus or equity package.  When determining a candidate’s compensation, we consider a number of factors, including skillset, experience, job scope, and current market data. Pay will be bi-weekly and this position will be subject to a 14-day hitch with 12 hours on and 12 hours off rotation.

JD Disclaimer Vulcan Materials Company is an equal opportunity employer.

Additional Information

• Job Identification: 1166
• Job Category: Barges/Harbors/Boats/Logistics
• Posting Date: 2026-09-25
• Job Schedule: Full time
• Locations: 113 Mulberry St, Norfolk, VA, 23523, US