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Most expensive destroyer in Navy history breaks down

In this Sept. 7, 2016 file photo, the future USS Zumwalt heads down the Kennebec River after leaving Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, on it's way to be commissioned. The Zumwalt, the most expensive destroyer ever built for the U.S. Navy, suffered an engineering problem in the Panama Canal Monday, Nov. 21, 2016, and had to be towed to port. Third Fleet spokesman Cmdr. Ryan Perry said a vice admiral has directed the ship to remain at ex-Naval Station Rodman in Panama to address the issues. (Robert F. Bukaty / AP)
Associated Press

The most expensive destroyer ever built for the Navy has suffered an engineering problem in the Panama Canal and had to be towed to port.

U.S. Third Fleet spokesman Cmdr. Ryan Perry says a vice admiral has directed the USS Zumwalt to remain at ex-Naval Station Rodman in Panama to address the issues. The ship was built at Bath Iron Works in Maine.

Perry says the timeline for repairs is still being determined and the schedule for the ship will remain flexible to enable testing and evaluation.

The ship is in the midst of transit to its home port in San Diego.

The 610-foot-long warship has an angular shape to minimize its radar signature. It cost more than $4.4 billion. It was commissioned last month in Maryland.