Commissioning of USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul delayed

The commissioning of the ship that will be known as the USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul has been delayed, the Minnesota Navy League confirmed Tuesday.

The ship remains on hold until it is available for delivery to the Navy.

Officials said a recent Freedom class design defect associated with bearings in the combining gear’s high-speed clutch needs to be fixed in ships under construction and several ships that entered the Fleet.

When a delivery plan is established, the Navy will then work with the cities of Minneapolis, St. Paul and Duluth, where the ship is scheduled to be commissioned, to set a suitable commissioning date. The original plan was for the ship to be commissioned in the Port of Duluth in May.

"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," Brian Skon, chairman of the USS Minneapolis Saint Paul Commissioning Committee, said in a statement. "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."