Fitz arrives in Mississippi

The damaged guided-missile destroyer Fitzgerald (DDG-62) arrived in Mississippi today aboard the heavy-lift vessel MV Transshelf from Japan.

The Fitz is expected to spend "several days" in Pascagoula's port as the Transshelf begins unfastening, lowering, guiding the ship off the platform, and taking it to Ingalls Shipbuilding, according to a Navy statement. On Jan. 19, the Defense Department announced the Navy had awarded Huntington Ingalls a $125 million contract to conduct repairs to the ship.

On June 17, the ship was involved in a collision with the Philippine-flagged ACX Crystal. Seven sailors died and the ship was damaged on the starboard side above and below the waterline.

"Due to the extent and complexity of the restoration, both repair and new construction procedures will be used to accomplish the restoration and modernization efforts," the Jan. 19 statement reads. "Various Hull Mechanical and Electrical (HM&E), C4I and Combat System equipment, including the electronic warfare suite, radar, switchboard, gas turbine generator, and air condition plant require repair and/or replacement."

The ship will also receive upgrades that were originally planned for installation during a fiscal year 2019 availability.

The Navy anticipates work will conclude in the second quarter of FY-19, followed by extensive tests and sea trials. "The entire restoration and modernization effort is expected to complete approximately 24 months post work commencement on the ship," according to the service.

Further, the office of the chief of naval operations issued a memo Jan. 17 transferring Fitzgerald's repair responsibility to the shipbuilding, conversion and repair supervisor for the Gulf Coast.