Testimonial – The Journey Behind Edward Maritime LLC

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Edward Maritime LLC was built from the ground up — no handouts, no shortcuts, no safety nets. I built this company with my own hands, driven by discipline, faith, and an unwavering belief that I was meant for something greater.

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It’s hard to explain what motivated me, but deep down, I’ve always known I wanted to do more and be more. Most people don’t know where it really began.

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Years ago, I was just a helper at Gulf Ship in Gulfport, Mississippi. One day, I received a call from VT Halter Marine with a job offer to come on as a contractor. Excited for the opportunity, I left my old job, assuming I was already hired. But when I arrived, they told me I needed to take a 30-page first-class pipefitter’s test.

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The instructor knew I wasn’t old enough to be a journeyman, but he said, “Why not give it a shot?” So I did. I took the test and passed — only missed one question, which he let me correct at the end.

 

Then came the hands-on portion. The instructor brought me to a table covered with random fittings, bolts, flanges, and pipe. He handed me a drawing and said, “Assemble this exactly as shown.” I still remember it clearly — it was a 45° rolling offset that had to line up perfectly with the next section. I completed it with precision.

 

When I finished, I broke down the assembly and neatly placed every piece back where it belonged — bolts lined up, flanges stacked, pipe returned to the rack. As I walked away, the instructor stopped me and said, “In all my years in this trade, I’ve never seen anyone clean up like that after a test.” Then he said the words that changed my life: “You’re hired.”

 

I never got his name, but I’ll never forget that moment. If he hadn’t taken a chance on me, who knows where I’d be today.

 

But the truth is, the real test was still ahead. I had $40 in my wallet, a truck on empty, and no place to live. The job was too far to commute every day, and I didn’t have enough money for gas or rent. I knew I couldn’t miss my first day of work — not after getting this opportunity — so I packed my clothes, threw them in the truck, and drove to Pascagoula.

 

That night, I parked near the Hilton Hotel next to a McDonald’s. I figured it would be less suspicious than sleeping anywhere else. Every night, I’d clean up in the McDonald’s bathroom and buy a $1 burger before going to sleep in my truck. For eight nights, that’s how I lived — and every morning, I showed up to work like nothing was wrong.

 

By the seventh day, I had $1.85 left to my name. A shipfitter I worked with asked me for a ride home. I didn’t want to tell him my situation, so I said yes — even though I was running on fumes. He lived all the way in downtown Ocean Springs. When we got there, he noticed the clothes piled in my back seat. He didn’t say a word, but before getting out, he pulled out his wallet and handed me everything he had — about $20.

 

That moment will stay with me forever. The first thing I did was pull into a Wendy’s and order a #1 combo, large — everything on it. I laughed, I ate, and I told myself; you’re going to make it.

 

That same night, at midnight, my first paycheck hit my account. The next day, I found a small studio apartment on the beach in Biloxi. The landlady told me, “Bring your deposit, and I’ll give you the keys.” I drove straight there after work, paid the deposit, and finally had a place to call home. The lights and water were still on from showings — I’ll never forget how that first shower felt.

 

From that point on, I promised myself I’d never go back. I worked hard, learned fast, and kept moving forward. Over the years, I’ve been blessed to work on major projects, meet incredible people, and grow in ways I never imagined possible.

 

I’m not sharing this story for pity. I’m sharing it to remind the next generation — the welders, fitters, dreamers, and builders — that no matter how tough things get, you can make it. You can build something real from nothing.

 

Today, as I sit in my office preparing to sign my first major contract for Edward Maritime LLC, I think back to those nights in that parking lot — tired, broke, and hungry — and I can finally say with pride:

 

It was all worth it.

 

– Eddie / EDWARD MARITIME