SS United States: Tentative departure dates for ship announced; traffic snarls possible
PHILADELPHIA - The SS United States is preparing to make its journey south to become the world’s largest artificial reef, officials announced.
Between November 14th and November 15th, tugboat crews will attach themselves to the ship during high tide, around 11:45, the morning of the 14th. They will then begin to position the ship to the north side of the slip and then secure it to Pier 80. Then they will wait for the next low tide, scheduled for the 15th, in the early morning.
On Friday, November 15th, during low tide, around 7 a.m., crews will start to move the ship into the Delaware River.
At that point, the Walt Whitman (I-76), the Commodore Barry (U.S. 322) and the Delaware Memorial Bridge (I-295) will all close, allowing for the ship to pass safely underneath as it makes its way to the Delaware Bay and, ultimately, to the Atlantic Ocean.
SS United States, pier landlord reach agreement setting in motion ship's future as largest artificial reef
The SS United States Conservancy and pier landlord reach agreement, allowing the ship to be repurposed into the world’s largest artificial reef.
The bridge closures will be handled through the Department of Transportation. All times and dates are tentative and subject to change.
Officials with Okaloosa County’s Tourist Development Department, in Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Florida, went on to say once the ship is in the Atlantic, some of the tugboats will let go, leaving a team of two to three tugboats to escort the ship to Mobile, Alabama. They estimate the trip will take about two weeks.
And then, the work to restore and outfit the ship into a reef will begin. That process is estimated to take about a year.
Officials say they expect the ship’s final home to be about 20 miles south of the Florida Panhandle, in the Destin-Fort Walton Beach area.
You can track the ship’s travel progress with GPS by visiting Okaloosa County’s Destin-Fort Walton Beach Tourism page, here.
Find more information about the reef program at Okaloosa County’s website, here.
Information about the history of the SS United States can be found on the Conservancy’s website, here.