Departure of the SS United States from Philadelphia is scuttled again

UPDATE: Plans to move the SS United States from Philadelphia to Mobile, Ala., have been delayed because of follow-up details sought by the U.S. Coast Guard, a spokesman for Okaloosa County, Fla., said late Thursday afternoon.

The details being sought are to ensure a proper tow from Pier 82 to Pier 80. Because of the delay of the pier transition, the tow out of Philadelphia, originally planned for Saturday, has been delayed. A new date has not been set for departure, the spokesman said.

Below is the original story that was published on Wednesday about the expected departure.

The long-awaited departure from a Philadelphia dock of the rusting hulk of the celebrated SS United States — the ocean liner that set a transatlantic record and once ferried celebrities and other luminaries — is finally set to happen in the wee hours of Saturday, officials said on Wednesday.

The SS United States, which is ultimately destined to be sunk off the coast of Florida to create the world’s largest artificial reef, is set to depart Philadelphia at 4 a.m. on Saturday, according to officials from Okaloosa County, Fla., which bought the relic for $1 million. Multiple tug boats will chaperone the ship as it makes its way along the Delaware River to the Atlantic Ocean.

Organizers of the move caution, as they have in the past, that dates, times and other logistics are subject to change depending on conditions. For instance, if visibility is an issue on Saturday morning, the move down river will take place at the next low tide, officials said in a statement.

Ahead of its formal departure on Saturday, the ship will make a lateral move from Pier 82 to Pier 80 starting at 6 a.m. on Thursday.

Delays and butting heads with the Coast Guard

A departure was originally set for mid-November but was scuttled, partly out of concerns over a developing storm in the South. Time dragged on and no new date was set.

As Delaware Currents reported last month, an acrimonious relationship sprang up between the county and the U.S. Coast Guard, which was in charge of reviewing and approving a proposed tow plan and permits, among other regulatory oversight tasks.

The county said on Wednesday that it had met the “necessary safety requirements by local, state and federal agencies” to move the vessel.

The SS United States will make a 14-day journey to its first stop in Mobile, Ala., where it will be remediated of hazardous materials. Contractors will remove non-metal parts and fuel to ensure the ship’s deployment will be clean and not harm the environment.

“Modifications will also be made to ensure that when the vessel is deployed, it will land upright underwater,” the county said. The preparations are 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.

The goal of sinking the ship is to create an artificial reef that will be a diving destination that, in turn, will boost the local economy. The county noted the ship will “become home to countless marine species that will thrive from the presence of her structure.”

“Due to the size and the depth, she will be home to a wide variety of marine life from iconic reef fish such as red snapper to pelagic species of fish like wahoo,” the county said in a statement. “This new artificial reef will provide bountiful fishing and diving opportunities for the local, visiting and charter industries.”

What made the ship famous

The SS United States was launched in 1951 and still holds the transatlantic speed record, 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.

Among the luminaries that traveled on the SS United States were four U.S. presidents — Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy, and Bill Clinton — plus stars like Marlon Brando, Sean Connery, Duke Ellington, Salvador Dali, Walt Disney, Judy Garland, Cary Grant, Bob Hope, Marilyn Monroe, and John Wayne.

Additionally, the ship was designed as a top-secret, convertible troop carrier and Cold War weapon that could transport 14,000 troops 10,000 miles without refueling. The vessel is widely considered the pinnacle of American post-war maritime engineering.

How and where to watch its departure

A livestream of the departure will be broadcast on the Facebook page of the SS United States Conservancy starting around 4:15 a.m. on Saturday in advance of the ship passing under the Walt Whitman Bridge.

Because Piers 82 and 80 are both within an area secured by the Transportation Security Administration (part of the Department of Homeland Security), the general public cannot access the piers, officials said.

Potential viewing locations include:

• The IKEA parking lot at 2206 S. Columbus Blvd in Philadelphia.
• The second-floor cafeteria at IKEA, which opens daily at 11 a.m.
• Waterfront public parks such as Phoenix Park at 227 Jefferson St. in Camden, New Jersey.

There are also several potential vantage points along the Delaware River south of the Walt Whitman Bridge. They include:

• Fort Mifflin, 6400 Hog Island Road, Philadelphia
• Red Bank Battlefield, 100 Hessian Ave., National Park, N.J.
• Fort Nassau,110 New Jersey Road, Brooklawn, N.J.
• Freedom Pier, 101 S King St., Gloucester City, N.J.
• RiverWinds Complex, 1000 RiverWinds Drive, West Deptford, N.J.

To follow her journey via GPS tracking, visit //www.destinfwb.com/explore/eco-tourism/ssus. Tracking will begin when the vessel begins moving operations.