Adjunct Professor Lawrence Brennan wrote an op-ed in Business Insider about the recent collision between the USS Fitzgerald and the Philippine-flagged container ship MV ACX Crystal.
The USS Fitzgerald and the Philippine-flagged container ship MV ACX Crystal collided early in the morning on June 16.
The port bow of the containership, particularly its bulbous bow and its port anchor, came into contact with the starboard side of the destroyer opening three compartments to the sea and heavily damaging the deck structure aft of the bridge above the main deck.
The destroyer will require extensive and costly repairs over many months and tragically seven sailors were lost and three, including the commanding officer, were injured.
The containership suffered damage to her bow and port side forward. This is relatively minor hull damage and should result in modest costs or repair and delay or detention damage.
On the other hand, the Fitzgerald has suffered substantial physical damage. Its hull is damaged and perhaps warped or the keel broken. The bow of ACX Crystal struck the near the starboard bridge of the Fitzgerald causing extensive and expensive damage to electronic and communications gear located in this area. The cost of a replacement for the 21 year old DDG would be nearly $2 billion.