A critical shortage of civilian mariners could force the U.S. Navy to idle 17 support ships, raising concerns about the Navy’s ability to sustain its global operations. The Military Sealift Command (MSC), responsible for the Navy’s logistical support fleet, is reportedly drafting plans to reassign crews from these vessels to other ships in the fleet to mitigate the manpower shortage.
The affected ships include Lewis and Clark-class replenishment vessels, Spearhead-class fast transports, and two expeditionary sea bases, which play a crucial role in refueling and resupplying Navy ships worldwide. The USS Lewis Puller and USS Herschel “Woody” Williams, both forward-deployed, are among the ships at risk of being sidelined.
The MSC’s difficulties in retaining mariners have roots in the challenges of the job. Harsh conditions, extended deployments, and the fallout from severe COVID-19 restrictions have driven many mariners away. A former MSC mariner described the environment during the pandemic as unbearable, with mariners unable to leave their ships for months at a time.
Since then, MSC has struggled to replace those who quit, leading to the current crisis.
Experts like Sal Mercogliano blame years of mismanagement for the situation. “This is basically the result of many years of neglect,” he said, pointing out that MSC’s approach has been unsustainable for some time. The Navy’s attempts to stabilize the situation through reassignments may help in the short term, but the long-term implications for the Navy’s logistical capabilities remain a significant concern.
