A brand new warship of the US Navy is stuck in Montreal, Canada for the winter, after its voyage to Florida was held up by frigid weather.
Instead, heavy ice caused the ship to make fast to dry land, forcing this latest member of the Littoral Combat Ship class to remain docked in Montreal’s Old Port area since Christmas Eve.
Lt. Cmdr. Courtney Hillson says the Navy is reconciled to letting ship and crew hibernate in Canada.
“Keeping the ship in Montreal until waterways are clear ensures the safety of the ship and crew, and will have limited impact on the ship’s operational schedule.”
The navy spokesperson did not provide details on how common it is for its ships to face winter-related delays, but did say that previous ships did not face problems in December.
The ship’s crew has been equipped with cold weather clothing and will focus on mission training while the delay continues.
The hold-up will have “limited operational impact,” Hillson said and added that the vessel has been furnished with temporary heating units and 16 de-icers to keep the “innovative” aluminum hull from freezing over.
According to the New York Post, other US Navy members like the Littoral Combat Ship class faced technical problems, including engine snags and automation-related failures.
The aluminum hull, the New York Post suggests, may be a factor in why the ship “can’t make it to the open seas even with some help from Navy icebreakers.”
Seven of the 300 sailors onboard the USS Fitzgerald died in a June 17, 2017 collision with a significantly larger civilian container vessel off Japan.
