Chief of Naval Operations Admiral John Richardson ordered commanders within a week to set aside time, perhaps "one or two days", for crews to sit down together after the destroyer USS John S. McCain collided with a tanker off Singapore early Monday.
A "comprehensive review" of practices would also begin.
"As you know, this is the second collision in three months and the last of a series of incidents in the Pacific theater," Richardson said.
"This trend demands more forceful action. As such, I have directed an operational pause be taken in all of our fleets around the world."
The admiral did not rule out some kind of outside interference or a cyber-attack being behind the latest collision, but said he did not want to prejudge the inquiry. His broader remarks suggested a focus on "how we do business on the bridge."
US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, on a visit to Jordan, said Richardson's "broader enquiry will look at all related accidents, incidents at sea, that sort of thing. He is going to look at all factors, not just the immediate one."
Ten US sailors were still missing after the collision between the McCain and the Alnic MC in the busy shipping lanes of the Singapore Strait, which left a gaping hole in the warship's hull.
A major search involving ships and aircraft from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and the US is under way for the missing sailors.
On Tuesday US Navy divers joined the hunt and were set to search compartments in damaged parts of the ship which were flooded during the accident. They would also conduct damage assessments of the hull and flooded areas, the navy said.
The amphibious assault ship USS America -- which arrived in Singapore Monday -- was providing support to crew members from the McCain and helping to drain water from the warship and repair damaged systems.
Admiral Scott Swift, commander of the US Pacific Fleet, was in Singapore Tuesday and visited a hospital where four injured sailors were recovering. The fifth injured sailor did not need hospital treatment.
The badly damaged destroyer had limped into port under escort after the dramatic pre-dawn accident.
