Okaloosa County’s Tourist Development Department, Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Florida, has announced a tentative schedule to move the SS United States from Philadelphia.
According to a press release, all necessary safety requirements by local, state and federal agencies have now been completed, and the 1952-built ship is now ready to depart from Pennsylvania.
Operations to move the former ocean liner will begin with a lateral move from Pier 82 to Pier 80 on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025, at 6 a.m.
The United States is then expected to depart from Philadelphia on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, at 4 a.m. If visibility is an issue that morning, the move downriver will take place at the next low tide, Okaloosa County said.
The vessel will be chaperoned by multiple tugboats as it makes its way down the Delaware River and into the Atlantic Ocean.
After departing from Philadelphia, the United States will be moved to Mobile, Alabama, where it is set to be prepared to become the world’s largest artificial reef.
Dates, times and other logistics are subject to change, Okaloosa County said, noting that plans are still tentative.
Fans will be able to follow the ship’s journey via GPS tracking, available at this link. Tracking will begin when the vessel begins moving operations.
The ship’s journey to Mobile is expected to take about two weeks. Upon arrival, the vessel will be prepared to be turned into an artificial reef as contractors remove hazardous materials, including non-metal parts and fuel, to ensure the deployment is clean and not harmful to the environment it aims to benefit.
Modifications will also be made to ensure that when the vessel is deployed, it will land upright underwater, with the complete preparation process expected to take about 12 months.
The exact location along the Gulf Coast for the vessel’s deployment has not been set, but it is expected to be about 20 nautical miles south of the Destin-Fort Walton Beach area.
“As the World’s Largest Artificial Reef, the story of the SS United States will be told to thousands of divers from around the world as they explore her unique design and features,” Okaloosa County said.
The ship is also expected to benefit its surrounding ecosystem, becoming home to marine species that will thrive from the presence of its structure.
A wide variety of marine life will benefit from the vessel, including reef fish such as red snapper and pelagic species of fish like wahoo.
The new artificial reef will provide bountiful fishing and diving opportunities for the local, visiting and charter industries, the county added.
