"– gCaptain has received multiple reports that the US Navy oiler USNS Big Horn ran aground yesterday and partially flooded off the coast of Oman, leaving the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group without its primary fuel source.
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Kaiser-class oilers, named after Henry J. Kaiser, were introduced in the 1980s and have long been the backbone of the Navy’s underway replenishment (UNREP) capabilities. These vessels refuel carrier strike groups and other naval assets at sea—a crucial task ensuring the Navy’s global reach and operational readiness. However, as single-hull tankers, they’ve been considered environmentally vulnerable since, following the Exxon Valdez oil spill, the 1990 Oil Pollution Act (OPA 90) mandated double-hull designs for commercial oil tankers.
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The Navy currently faces a severe shortage of oilers and crew to operate them. Earlier this month, the Navy announced it might lay up 17 replenishment and supply ships—including one oiler—due to difficulties recruiting U.S. Merchant Mariners. While the Navy has launched five new John Lewis Class oilers – including the USNS Lucy Stone (T-AO 209) this week – and awarded NASSCO a $6.7 billion contract for eight more, challenges persist.
Official Navy and Military Sealift Command sources have repeatedly assured gCaptain that the John Lewis program is on schedule. However, two marine inspectors who have examined the new oilers tell gCaptain they’re encountering numerous problems, delaying the vessels’ overseas deployment. Despite the lead ship, USNS John Lewis, being launched in January 2021, it’s currently sitting idle at a repair shipyard in Oregon. As of today, none of the new oilers have been cleared to leave the continental United States."
gcaptain.com
.
.
,
Kaiser-class oilers, named after Henry J. Kaiser, were introduced in the 1980s and have long been the backbone of the Navy’s underway replenishment (UNREP) capabilities. These vessels refuel carrier strike groups and other naval assets at sea—a crucial task ensuring the Navy’s global reach and operational readiness. However, as single-hull tankers, they’ve been considered environmentally vulnerable since, following the Exxon Valdez oil spill, the 1990 Oil Pollution Act (OPA 90) mandated double-hull designs for commercial oil tankers.
.
.
.
The Navy currently faces a severe shortage of oilers and crew to operate them. Earlier this month, the Navy announced it might lay up 17 replenishment and supply ships—including one oiler—due to difficulties recruiting U.S. Merchant Mariners. While the Navy has launched five new John Lewis Class oilers – including the USNS Lucy Stone (T-AO 209) this week – and awarded NASSCO a $6.7 billion contract for eight more, challenges persist.
Official Navy and Military Sealift Command sources have repeatedly assured gCaptain that the John Lewis program is on schedule. However, two marine inspectors who have examined the new oilers tell gCaptain they’re encountering numerous problems, delaying the vessels’ overseas deployment. Despite the lead ship, USNS John Lewis, being launched in January 2021, it’s currently sitting idle at a repair shipyard in Oregon. As of today, none of the new oilers have been cleared to leave the continental United States."
US Navy Oiler Runs Aground, Forcing Carrier Strike Group to Scramble for Fuel
USNS Big Horn incident: Partial flooding and damage to rudder post on US Navy oiler. Get the latest updates on this significant event.
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