SS United States begins journey down Delaware River, out of Philadelphia | How to track its voyage
It's moving day for the SS United States! The historic ocean liner has begun its journey down the Delaware River on its way out of Philadelphia on Wednesday.
By Danielle Ellis
Click here for updates on this story
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (WPVI) — It’s moving day for the SS United States!
The historic ocean liner has begun its journey down the Delaware River on its way out of Philadelphia on Wednesday.
“Today’s the day. She’s ready to go,” said Warren Jones, a board member for the SS United States Conservancy.
Jones shared a photo with Action News from when he says he traveled on the ship to Europe when he was 8-years-old.
He’s now a board member of the SS United States Conservancy, helping navigate its next chapter.
“Mixed feelings. It’s not the ending that we wanted but its good the ship is going to be taken care of and have a new life rather than going to a scrap yard,” he said.
The vessel has been a staple along the Delaware River in South Philadelphia for nearly 30 years, but will now begin its journey to the gulf coast.
The move comes after legal battles over its future and several delays. Now, the ship’s new owners say they have completed the necessary safety requirements to move the SS United States.
The majestic ship was sold to Okaloosa County, Florida, last year with the goal of turning it into the world’s largest artificial reef.
Tugboats got into position around 11 a.m. and begin its voyage down the Delaware River around noon, during low tide.
The massive ship will pass under various bridges, including the Walt Whitman Bridge (I-76), the Commodore Barry Bridge (US 322) and the Delaware Memorial Bridge (I-295) along the route. The Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) will be coordinating bridge closures.
The Delaware River Port Authority says drivers should be aware of brief traffic pauses on the bridges as the ship leaves.
The Walt Whitman Bridge was briefly halted around 12:40 p.m.as the ship passed under
The Commodore Barry Bridge temporary halt is expected between 4:45 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.
Officials said these short pauses will help minimize driver distraction as the ship passes beneath the spans, but add that timing is subject to change based on weather and river conditions.
Motorists are advised to plan accordingly and check traffic conditions.
Towing the SS United States out of Philadelphia during low tide is very important.
The SS, which stands for steam ship, has the world’s tallest smoke stacks of any vessel. It still holds that record after all these years at 65 feet tall, which is the equivalent of a six-story building.
Last week, the first phase of the move took place as the city was celebrating the Eagles victory parade. The SS United States was moved from Pier 82, where it has sat for decades, to Pier 80. It was moved to the opposite pier to make the departure easier.
Fans of the derelict ship were out early on Wednesday to get a last look before it heads towards its underwater grave off the coast of Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Florida.
Once it leaves Philadelphia, it will head toward Mobile, Alabama, where it will prepped to be sunk off Florida’s panhandle.
The journey along the eastern seaboard is expected to take roughly two weeks.
You can track the ship’s journey on the Destin-Fort Walton Beach website.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
