USS Abraham Lincoln arrives in Thailand with extensive rust: Cleaning could take 30 days

The US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln docked on Wednesday at Thailand’s Laem Chabang port, where its appearance drew attention because of visible rust covering the ship’s hull. The marks can be seen along the waterline, from the bow to the stern.

Measuring around 335 meters in length, the warship has spent approximately 286 days at sea since leaving its home port in San Diego in November last year. During this deployment, it was involved for months in combat operations and blockades in the Middle East as part of operations against Iran.

US Navy experts estimate that such a condition is not necessarily unusual for a ship that has spent such a long period at sea.

Carl Schuster, a former US Navy captain who served three times as a member of the crews of Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, including the Lincoln, explains that rust along the waterline can appear after a long period of operations.

He says that after more than 60 days of uninterrupted activity at sea, the presence of rust in various parts of the ship is to be expected.

The problem cannot be fully addressed during operations at sea, especially when the aircraft carrier is engaged in combat missions.

To restore the section near the waterline, teams must descend to the lower areas of the ship, clean the damaged surfaces, apply two coats of anti-rust primer and then two coats of the gray paint used by the US Navy.

Based on the visible condition of the USS Abraham Lincoln, Schuster estimates that around 30 days of maintenance work may be required to remove the rust completely.

However, during its roughly seven-day stay in Thailand, work is expected to be limited to the most urgent tasks. The main focus will be on the bow and areas near the waterline, which are more exposed to salt water and waves.

The ship is stationed at Laem Chabang port, in the Gulf of Thailand, south of Bangkok. Its stay will last several days and will allow crew members their first full rest after an exceptionally long deployment.

Other problems besides rust have also been reported during the mission. The deployment has been accompanied by concerns about crew morale, supply shortages and at least one incident in which a crew member fell overboard.

US President Donald Trump previously dismissed concerns about the length of the mission, stating that the Lincoln’s deployment had “not been that long at all.”

Experts emphasize that although rust can be expected after an extended period at sea, it should not be neglected.

“Rust is like a contagious disease. It spreads,” Schuster says, stressing that intervention in the early stages is essential to prevent greater damage in the future.

If left untreated, rust can weaken steel structures and damage important parts of the ship, including decks, passageways and protective structures.

Anti-rust maintenance is not considered one of sailors’ favorite duties. According to Schuster, the “war against rust” ranks among the two least popular activities in the US Navy, alongside work involving hydraulic systems.