Coast Guard says SS United States may be too unstable to move

The U.S. Coast Guard has found that the SS United States, the decommissioned but celebrated ocean liner, may not be stable enough to leave its Philadelphia dock to make a planned trip south, where it is ultimately planned to be sunk off the coast of Florida and become the world’s largest artificial reef.

A “Captain of the Port Order” dated Nov. 20, signed by K.F. Higgins-Bloom, captain of the port for Sector Delaware Bay, made clear the ship was not going anywhere and outlined in austere language the steps needed to come into compliance before it could be moved.

The Coast Guard conducted an independent stability analysis that found a “potentially compromised tank” in a port wing that “may also further impact the vessel’s stability and structural integrity.”

The order described the ship as presenting “a hazardous condition to the port and waterway” and added, “This vessel may not depart its current location without satisfactorily demonstrating to this office that it is safe to do so and that hazards to the waterway have been mitigated.”

The order, which delawareonline previously reported, sheds new light on the delayed departure of the SS United States, which Okaloosa County, Fla., bought for $1 million to ultimately sink as an artificial reef to make it a scuba diving and fishing destination that would draw tourists and benefit the local economy. The county provided a copy of the order to Delaware Currents.

Read more: SS United States has no departure date on the horizon: Here’s what we know

The Coast Guard order cited “insufficient information” provided in a tow plan submitted by Okaloosa County. Nick Tomecek, a spokesman for the county, said there’s been no change in the order and that the county has hired an engineer “to study and collect data to ensure the stability of the ship.” Once gathered, that information will be filed with the Coast Guard, he said.

The county does not have a projected date to move the ship. A previous planned move set for last month was scuttled, a delay partly blamed on a tropical disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico that could interfere with the ship’s relocation to its first stop in Mobile, Ala., where it will be prepped for sinking.

Details of the order

The order cited “the unknown condition of the vessel” and a “large amount of oily residue present” and required the county to prepare a report to account for, among other things: the ship’s watertight integrity and overall structural stability; identify what steps would be taken if its hull were compromised; identify ports of safe harbor along its route; relocate all large quantities of oil not stored in sealed tanks; and provide tugs of sufficient horsepower to control the ship’s movement.

The comprehensive report needs to be prepared by a marine salvor or a company experienced “in the assessment and towage of damaged or degraded vessels.”

Failure to comply with the order could result in penalties of up to $114,630 per day that the ship is in violation, the order said.

The move to sink it

The SS United States was launched in 1951 and still holds the transatlantic speed record, which was achieved on her maiden voyage using only two-thirds of her power. She transported presidents, stars of stage and screen, heads of state, tourists, members of the armed forces, and immigrants until the advent of the jet age forced her retirement in 1969.

The SS United States Conservancy, which took ownership of the ship, for years fruitlessly pursued plans to restore or preserve the historic ship. Then the conservancy became embroiled in a lawsuit this year in federal court with its landlord over overdue rent.

That, in turn, put in motion eviction proceedings and a scramble to find a new home for the ship. Ultimately, the idea of sinking it as an artificial reef became the only viable option.

At nearly 1,000 feet long, “the SS United States will be the largest vessel ever prepared and deployed as an artificial reef, a record not soon to be broken, a prize for the people of the communities” where it will be deployed, according to a statement from Okaloosa County’s contractor, Coleen Marine.