The worldwide impact of COVID-19 is having a significant and extremely negative effect on the operation of U.S.-flag vessels in the international trades. The Covid-19 emergency has essentially stopped the global commercial seaborne trade and halted most U.S. military and civilian government cargo on which the U.S. maritime industry largely depends. This situation, which shows no realistic signs of ending any time in the immediate future, puts at severe risk the ongoing ability of our industry to provide the sealift readiness capability and surge support relied upon by the Department of Defense and to support American troops deployed anywhere in the world. Moreover, without the assistance we are requesting, there is a serious risk that the already dangerous shortfall in the number of trained and qualified American merchant mariners will worsen, thereby jeopardizing sealift readiness. Read more. (
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