The Navy’s newest littoral combat ship, the Billings, sustained minor damage Friday afternoon when it struck a moored commercial vessel while getting underway in Montreal, Naval Surface Force Atlantic officials confirmed Wednesday.
No one was injured and the damage to the pre-commissioned vessel occurred above the waterline, according to command spokeswoman Lt. Cmdr. Courtney Hillson.
The Billings was in Canada as part of a routine transit ahead of its August commissioning in Key West, Florida, she said.
It struck the larger Canada-flagged bulk cargo vessel Rosaire A. Desgagnes, which remains moored in Montreal.
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While the LCS Billings remains able to proceed to its future homeport at Naval Station Mayport in Florida, Hillson indicated it will remain in Montreal to undergo a full damage assessment.
The Navy took possession of the Freedom-class variant in February.
Hillson said Friday’s incident remains under investigation and will not affect the commissioning schedule.
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