More than 2,800 crewmembers arrived aboard the USS Nimitz at Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton Thursday for a one-year temporary homeport period after a nine-year homeport at Naval Air Station – North Island in San Diego.

The aircraft carrier will undergo maintenance at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, the only government dry dock capable of accommodating the ship, said Chief Petty Officer Dale Davis, spokesman for Naval Base Kitsap.

The Navy made the official switch of homeport to allow the families of sailors to qualify for help in moving to Kitsap.

The USS Nimitz’s destination after the temporary homeport will be Naval Station Everett.

The carrier, commissioned in 1975, is the first in its class of 10 nuclear-powered aircraft carriers.