USNavy Report on Fitzgerald Collision.

[Pelagic]

I think this is a very good move by the US Administration
https://gcaptain.com/president-trump...rchant-marine/

[DumnMad]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

I think this is a very good move by the US Administration
https://gcaptain.com/president-trump...rchant-marine/

They've been following this thread

[bill352]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

I think this is a very good move by the US Administration
https://gcaptain.com/president-trump...rchant-marine/

The full extent of my merchant marine knowledge comes from John McPhee's "Looking For A Ship", which is approaching its 30th year in print. But at the time he wrote, it was very difficult for a merchant seaman to get a job in the American merchant marine because there were so few ships. Has that changed? Would be nice if it has.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by DumnMad

They've been following this thread

Don't know about that, but a few of us, myself included, felt that a merchant marine oriented Syllabus on navigation and piloting would help young navy officers to be more competent on the bridge....

"The oder further calls for the establishing and maintaining an effective merchant marine program by providing sufficient support and resources for obtaining merchant mariner credentials"

Good question Bill, is the US merchant marine growing in fleet size?

[john61ct]

I've always been confused by that nebulous term, "the US Merchant Marine".

Analogs include "aviation" and "railroads", or "the trucking industry", but they don't try to appear to mean a single unified organization.

I guess stems from the historic wartime ability for the military to commandeer private fleets?

But yes with globalization if the term only means "US flagged" outfits, I would think openings would be pretty limited these days.

[Uricanejack]

A far as I can tell this executive order has nothing to do with changing the current training or career paths in the Navy. The order has no connection to these incidents. The order is about ex Navy being able to use their Navy time and qualifications to get civilian qualifications when they leave the Navy.

[bill352]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

Good question Bill, is the US merchant marine growing in fleet size?

I looked at a bunch of articles, and, while they quote different numbers, the trend is definitely down, and has been for 50 years. And there is no shortage of articles (including one in gcaptain) saying that the US Merchant Marine is dying.


https://gcaptain.com/top-10-reasons-...ne-is-failing/


So it's good that these guys are being given credit, but, if I read it right, they're being sent into a tough job market.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by Uricanejack

A far as I can tell this executive order has nothing to do with changing the current training or career paths in the Navy. The order has no connection to these incidents. The order is about ex Navy being able to use their Navy time and qualifications to get civilian qualifications when they leave the Navy.

The way I understood what I quoted above was that resources for teaching to commercial levels for certification, would be provided.
I think this is a smart face saving approach to say, let some civilian marine educators help in the bridge qualifications standards for safe piloting in congested or reef strewn waters

[chris07732]

Latest happenings: https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/11/polit...ped/index.html

[psk125]

It seems that hasty public statements made by officials higher up the ladder make it too difficult for charges to proceed further.
https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-...erald-skipper/

[Adelie]

Improper command influence is the relevant phrase. And repeatedly by multiple commanders.

[dannc]

Originally Posted by Adelie

Improper command influence is the relevant phrase. And repeatedly by multiple commanders.

Yep. https://gcaptain.com/propublica-navy...investigation/


Later,
Dan

[JPA Cate]

dannc:

Thanks for that link. One wonders what will happen now.... The underlying problems seem endemic, hope the Navy can bring themselves to address them effectively.

Ann

[john61ct]

Well being endemic, makes the odds of that seem pretty low.

[kmacdonald]

Well of course the charges against Buffy will be dropped. Of course they weren't accidents.