About a dozen US sailors will face some sort of punishment after a US Navy destroyer collided with a Philippine-flagged cargo ship in June, a senior admiral said Thursday.

Admiral Bill Moran, who is the vice chief of naval operations, said among those to be disciplined from the crew of the USS Fitzgerald are its commanding officer, executive officer and senior enlisted sailor, who will be relieved of their duties aboard the ship.

"They will be detached from the ship for cause, which (means) we've lost trust and confidence for their ability to lead in those positions and they will not return from the ship," Moran told reporters.