Plans to move SS United States out of Philadelphia delayed again

A new date for the ship's departure has not been set.

ByDanielle Ellis WPVI logo
Friday, February 7, 2025 4:26PM
Plans to move SS United States out of Philadelphia delayed again
Plans to move the SS United States out of Philadelphia hit another snag.

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Plans to move the SS United States out of Philadelphia hit another snag.

Okaloosa County's Tourist Development Department in Florida, which is the ship's new owner, said the voyage to Mobile, Alabama, was expected this weekend but plans have been halted due to a pier transition delay.

"We understand the frustration for those who made plans surrounding this momentous event and appreciate your patience," said officials on Thursday.
A new date for the ship's departure has not been set.

In fall 2024, Florida's Okaloosa County bought the 1,000-foot vessel with the plan of creating the "world's largest artificial reef." City commissioners approved a $10.1 million plan to relocate the ocean liner, sink it and build a $1 million seaside museum chronicling the cruise liner's history.

RELATED: Here's what is delaying the SS United States from leaving Philadelphia

Before leaving South Philadelphia, the ship must be transferred from Pier 82 to Pier 80. It will then be chaperoned by multiple tug boats down the Delaware River and into the Atlantic Ocean.

The ship was originally supposed to leave Philadelphia in November but was delayed due to "logistical details." There was also a tropical disturbance in the Gulf.

RELATED: Ship sinking expert explains how the SS United States will be prepped for its underwater grave

Once in Mobile, the derelict ship will be prepped to be sunk off Florida's panhandle.

The interior of "America's Flagship" will be scrapped and rid of any toxins or asbestos.

Preparing the vessel for deployment is expected to take about a year.

WATCH: Action News archive - Inside the SS United States

Action News takes a walk through the stripped-down SS United States

Once the clean-up is finished, the vessel will then be towed back out to the gulf, where it will travel about 20 miles southeast to just off the shores of Destin-Fort Walton for it to be sunk.

You will be able to track the ship's journey on the Destin-Fort Walton Beach website, once it starts moving.

The ship's final home will be under about 180 feet (55 meters) of water 20 miles (32 kilometers) off the coast of Destin, Florida.

Okaloosa County hopes the ship will become a destination for scuba divers and attract fish and other wildlife as a reef. It won't be the only shipwreck habitat they have.

The ship found its home on Pier 82 in South Philadelphia in 1996 after a nonprofit called the SS United States Conservancy saved it from the scrapyard in 2011. However, its plans to rehabilitate the ship never came to fruition.

RELATED: Action News archives: We take a look back at when the SS United States arrived in Philadelphia

In the mid-90s, the fastest ship in the world parked at a Philadelphia pier at rate of $1,000 a week.

Florida officials say they intend to "preserve the SS Unites States' storied history and the memories she has created for so many people over the years."

Christened in 1952, the SS United States was once considered a beacon of American engineering, doubling as a military vessel that could carry thousands of troops. On its maiden voyage in 1952, it shattered the transatlantic speed record in both directions, when it reached an average speed of 36 knots, or just over 41 mph (66 kph).

On that voyage, the ship crossed the Atlantic in three days, 10 hours and 40 minutes, besting the RMS Queen Mary's time by 10 hours. To this day, the SS United States holds the transatlantic speed record for an ocean liner.

It became a reserve ship in 1969 and later bounced to various private owners who hoped to redevelop it but eventually found their plans to be too expensive or poorly timed.

Copyright © 2025 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.