1. Do I have to pay for this training?

No. Training is 100% free. Tuition, room, and board are covered if you stay aboard the Sea Wind mobile classroom. If you live near a port where training is offered, you don’t need to stay aboard — you can commute — and tuition is still free. All participants receive a $1,000 stipend at the end to help offset time away from fishing.

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2. Will this training guarantee me a job?

No. While it does not guarantee offshore wind work, it does qualify you for guard and scout vessel roles on New York’s remaining projects. The SENY team will support all graduates to get onto these projects when they are not fishing, when interest exists, and when project demand exists. Typical rotations are 10 days on / 2 days off, at about $450/day.

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3. What kind of work could be available?

Short-term guard/scout vessel work connected to projects like Sunrise Wind and Empire Wind, depending on project demand.

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4. How much could I earn from offshore wind work?

Daily rates are usually $450/day. Earnings depend on the number of rotations you take and whether projects are active.

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5. Where does training take place?

Initial sessions are at SUNY Maritime in the Bronx. Later sessions will be aboard the Sea Wind training vessel in ports like Greenport, Shinnecock, and Montauk.

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6. What is the Sea Wind mobile classroom?

• The Sea Wind is a working vessel converted to serve as both an education and training platform and an apprenticeship guard/scout vessel.

• A working vessel first. Built in the Pacific Northwest, the Sea Wind was designed for real offshore use, not as a cruise ship or classroom barge. That makes it practical and well-suited for training.

• Converted for training. Below deck, space has been adapted so that 6–10 fishermen can live aboard, sleep in bunks, and train together. Curtain dividers and added berths make the rec area usable for housing during training.

• Hands-on environment. The vessel itself is the classroom. It includes a small classroom for 8 trainees, and safety, communications, and seamanship drills are done where you’d actually use them — at sea.

• The Sea Wind ties up at Greenport, Shinnecock, and Montauk, bringing training closer to home.

• Dual role. After training, the Sea Wind also serves as an apprenticeship guard/scout vessel during offshore wind construction, giving graduates real-world experience in guard and safety work.

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7. Who can apply?

Any New York resident, currently a fisherman or interested in becoming a fisherman. Priority is given to residents in designated coastal and disadvantaged communities.

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8. What certifications will I earn?

• U.S. Coast Guard–approved STCW Basic Safety Training (firefighting, water survival, first aid, safety culture)

• SSNA Safety Certification — the gold standard recognized by offshore wind developers when hiring active commercial fishermen.

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9. What does SSNA Certification require?

To achieve SSNA Certification, participants must:

• Complete STCW Basic Safety Training

• Finish a fishing-specific safety orientation

• Participate in offshore wind project orientation (vessel roles, communication protocols, site awareness)

• Gain practical skills in radar, AIS, incident reporting, and regulatory compliance

• Complete at least one successful offshore wind campaign rotation under evaluation

• Graduates who meet these benchmarks are entered into the SSNA database as “SSNA Certified” — the seal of approval developers trust when hiring commercial fishermen for offshore wind work.

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10. Why should I do this if I don’t care about offshore wind?

Because the safety training itself makes you a safer fisherman. It’s recognized worldwide, it’s free, and you get a stipend. Offshore wind work is optional — the safety skills are yours either way.