The Navy has identified deep deficiencies in seamanship among its junior officers, with just 27 of 164 first-tour officers passing competency checks with “no concerns,” according to an internal review obtained Wednesday by The Washington Times.

The study was ordered after two naval collisions claimed the lives of 17 sailors last year and put the Navy in the spotlight.

Both maritime disasters, the Navy concluded, were avoidable and stemmed from failures of leadership aboard both vessels.

In the internal message, written by Vice Adm. Richard Brown, commander of Naval Surface Force Pacific, the Navy identified concerns with 137 of 164 junior officers who were randomly tested. The review found “some concerns” with 108 and “significant concerns” with the seamanship skills of 29.

Specifically, the review found issues with officers’ operation of radar and their ability to apply naval “rules of the road,” especially during times of low visibility.

The study also found that while most of the 164 officers were able to steer clear of near-collision situations, those who found themselves in harm’s way were often unable to take the immediate action necessary to avoid hitting another vessel. The failure to navigate through dangerous situations was a major factor in both fatal naval collisions last year.

Navy officials said the tests, which were conducted by the Surface Warfare Officers School from January through March,