[badpun]

> There are many funded projects not executing for lack of captains today.

Perhaps those projects are just not viable economically, because they can't pay enough to attract the captains. Or, the owners are too rigid to pay (for example) $500k salary to a captain.

[mcculley]

Yes, obviously. For example, there is a bridge construction project that is delayed by lack of qualified labor. I am sure they can rebid the project and hire labor currently employed on other construction projects, delaying those projects instead.

That is still a shortage. There is a finite number of licensed captains with Master of Towing endorsement who are legally allowed to work on U.S. flag vessels. You cannot make a new licensed captain with just money. It takes time.

I completely agree that shortages can be fixed with good planning, which industry and the U.S. government did not do.

I also completely agree that when using unskilled labor, one can just apply more money to attract labor. Skilled labor requires more than money to acquire.