New Barges, Budgeting Tweaks Set to Ease Crew’s Life During Ship Repair, Maintenance

[Tony]

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — For the first time in more than 20 years, sailors moved off their ship going into major repairs are getting better digs with new berthing barges.

Berthing barges have been a continuous issue for the sea service. Every time a ship’s maintenance period gets extended, the Navy loses a berthing barge needed to house the unaccompanied sailors of the next ship it’s scheduled to support. With the average age of the Navy’s berthing and messing barges pushing 40 – the oldest is 56 –it’s likely the barge the sailors get to live, work and dine while they’re doing a shipyard or pierside maintenance availability just might be older than their ship’s skipper.