The Philippine container ship that crashed into a US guided-missile destroyer may be liable for almost US$2 billion, according to Business Insider UK.
Damage to the USS Fitzgerald is far more substantial than that done to the Philippine-flagged containership ACX Crystal.
They collided in the early hours of the the morning, killing seven of the destroyer's sailors on June 16, 2017.
Pictures released by the US Navy show the USS Fitzgerald’s hull damaged, with the starboard bridge also needing repairs due to the impact of the ACX Crystal's bow.
Lawrence Brennan, a former US Navy Captain and an expert on maritime law, commented on the evidence.
He said: “The cost of a replacement for the 21-year-old DDG would be nearly $2 billion.
“Repair costs may be less but probably would total hundreds of millions of dollars for hull damages alone.”
USS #Fitzgerald in dry dock at Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka to continue repairs & assess damage from its June 17 collision. #Fitz pic.twitter.com/VqOxMmkZFk
— 7th Fleet (@US7thFleet) July 12, 2017
The two ships still need to resolve issues of their liability, damages, and contribution under the concept of allocation of fault established by the US Supreme Court in Reliable Transfer in 1975.
A defence expert from IHS Jane recently reportedly that the ACX Crystal may have been on autopilot.
However, the cargo ship's captain has claimed that the USS Fitzgerald ignored warnings and failed to take evasive action.
Brennan added: “Detention damages might exceed the costs of physical repairs. Also, the estates of the seven dead sailors may seek to recover all their losses from ACX Crystal, and the surviving crew members can recover for loss of personal property and injuries.”
Harrowing pics released by Navy @US7thFleet of the USS Fitzgerald in dry dock. Look at the size of that patched-up hole. pic.twitter.com/dTPtBJYDhK
— Geoff Ziezulewicz (@JournoGeoffZ) July 12, 2017
