The nuclear aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln arrived in Thailand on Wednesday morning, docking at the port of Laem Chabang, about 30 kilometers from Pattaya. The vessel broke a record of nine consecutive months without making a port call, which represents a mission duration significantly above normal for ships of this type.
About 5,000 sailors and Marines will have five days of rest in the Thai resort city after prolonged operations in the Middle East. The United States Navy reported that the crew faced concerns about deteriorating conditions on board during the extended period at sea.
Under normal conditions, a Navy aircraft carrier would visit a port approximately once a month to provide the crew with a rest period. The abnormal situation was caused by complex logistics that were disrupted by the Iran war, forcing American ships to travel distances of 3,500 or 5,900 kilometers to obtain resupply.
Iran's attacks on United States bases were the central factor that disorganized the supply chain and traditional logistical routes of the American navy in the Middle East region, forcing vessels to seek much more distant alternatives for refueling and maintenance.
