Defect delays commissioning of USS Minneapolis-St. Paul

The planned commissioning of the USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul has been pushed back due to a defect found in the vessel.

The Minnesota Navy League confirmed Tuesday that the ship, set to become the first Navy vessel ever commissioned in Minnesota, has a defect that will delay its ceremony.

"A recent Freedom class design defect associated with bearings in the combining gear's high-speed clutch has industry and the Navy team pursuing a design fix for ships under construction as well as several of the ships that entered the Fleet," the league said.

The ship was due to be commissioned at the Port of Duluth in May, but this will now be delayed to an as-yet unidentified date, with a more definite schedule set to be provided once more is known about the required repairs.

"While we are disappointed the first-ever commissioning of a Navy vessel in Minnesota will be delayed, we remain optimistic this historic event will take place in Duluth," said Brian Skon, Chairman of the USS Minneapolis Saint Paul Commissioning Committee.

"We will continue our fundraising and planning for a memorable public event that will honor the ship that bears the name of two great Minnesota cities."

The Freedom-class combat ship, which has a crew of 140, is meant for service in shallower waters near coastlines, and was officially launched from the Marinette, Wisconsin, shipyard where it was built in summer 2019.

Since then it has undergone acceptance trials, and following its commissioning it's expected to report to a base in Mayport, Florida.