067 - Ship rto Shore

The Business of Navy Sea Ports

One of the most important yet often overlooked factors of Naval operations is time spent in port. Every ship in the Carrier Fleet has a certain time frame for which it can put out to sea. While support ships like tankers and cargo ships often resupplied the fleet, the home port was the essential stop in any fleet’s routine.

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The ships were refueled and restocked while they were docked at port. The wide array of supplies that any one ship or crew may have needed differs significantly from the needs of other crews. Both food and munitions are replenished as the ship’s quartermasters sees fit.

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In addition to refueling, ships often received repairs while in port. This not only includes repairs for damages done during battle, but also general maintenance to both the ship and its cargo. Planes are also unloaded from ships and stored at the Naval Air Stations when not in use.
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Even the crew themselves can go through repairs. Sailors and Marines earn important vacation time, called Rest and Relaxation (or “R&R”) they use while the ship is at port. Crew members in need of special medical attention are transported to and from Military Hospitals.

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In a time of war, there is also the much needed time at port for upgrades. New machinery and weapons are added to the ships to make the sailors’ job at sea easier and more productive. Often, the keys to winning a war were the timely updates to the ships of the fleet.

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