Shortage of officers threatens to keep Naval Service vessels in port

Navy ships are at risk of being grounded by mechanical or structural failure if a shortage of officers is not addressed quickly.

Naval Service sources claim these problems will arise if specialists aren’t recruited from the private sector. Officers who are shore-based have been drafted in to plug gaps on seagoing voyages, with the result that deficiencies are being felt in planning and organising general routine maintenance, refits, and ship life extension programmes.

The Naval Service sought permission on May 7 last from the Department of Defence to be allowed advertise to recruit highly-qualified engineers from the private sector through the ‘Direct Entry’ system. After a few months of training they could carry out all duties. The alternative is to take on officer cadets, but it takes up to eight years to train them in a specialist field.