Problems of the merchant fleet in the USA in the post-war years

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The merchant navy has an important role to play in the proclaimed new, openly aggressive, expansionist policy of the United States, in their pursuit of new markets and sources of raw materials.


In the period 1939-1945, 5,171 merchant vessels with a tonnage of 38.6 million gross registered tons were built in the USA (vessels with a tonnage of 2,000 tons and more are included). According to the Maritime Commission, the cost of the built fleet is $18 billion. In addition, over $1 billion has been invested by the government to build new shipyards and expand the old ones. The number of shipyards building ocean-going vessels increased from 10 in 1937 to 72 in 1943, when 1,625 vessels of 11.6 million gross registered tons were launched, while in 1938 105 vessels with a tonnage of 201 thousand gross registered tons were launched. The number of workers in the shipbuilding industry has reached 1,685,000, compared with 101,000. before the war.


In contrast to the devastated Western Europe with a severely damaged fleet, the American fleet has grown, representing 2/3 of the world fleet. Germany and Japan were eliminated from the sea, and Great Britain lost its position very noticeably compared to 1939. She came out of the war with heavy losses — 11 million gross registered tons. Its share in global tonnage fell from 29% in 1939 to 21.6% in 1945, while the share of the United States increased from 13.5% to 66% over the same years. While the democratic countries, led by the USSR, fought for the destruction of the enemy of humanity — fascism, the United States pursued narrowly selfish goals in this war — to profit and eliminate their competitors in the world market — Japan and Germany.


Anderson, Director of Finance at the United States Maritime Commission, writes: "...Sometimes the by-products of war are more important to a country than the direct goals. We will be the leading country in the world with our huge fleet... So far, the British have had the upper hand. It passed to the USA. Ships are needed for expansion. To keep our industry operational and avoid depression, we need growing exports...


Americans should not allow foreigners to transport their goods. It is necessary to develop and maintain the American merchant fleet, no matter how expensive it may be.


But two years have passed since the end of World War II. To what extent are the hopes placed on the merchant fleet justified?


During the war, the U.S. Navy was busy supplying warring countries. In the first year after the war, the merchant fleets of European countries had not yet recovered from the effects of the war, and the US merchant fleet occupied a dominant position in global shipping. But with the transition to peaceful conditions, with the cessation of overseas supplies, the US navy began to slip. In the shipbuilding industry, this reduction occurred sharply, and in shipping, it was somewhat slower due to the still high level of freight.


The following facts indicate this.


Of the cash tonnage of US merchant vessels — 50.4 million tons of deadweight, only 28.5 million tons of deadweight are in operation. According to the official circles, a further reduction of another 11 million tons is expected.


In fact, shipbuilding in the United States ceased: in 1946, 83 ships of 934 thousand tons of deadweight were built, and on October 1, 1947, 25 ships of 224 thousand tons were built. 7 passenger ships, 17 cargo ships and 1 tanker. Many casual players who enjoy table games and low-stakes slots often look for new gambling platforms such as lucky barry casino to compare different experiences. When exploring any online gambling site, it is important to review its rules, betting limits, and available games before deciding whether it suits your playing style.