Winds have not yet subsided enough to permit the final journey of the SS United States to begin as planned on Tuesday, February 18, 2025. Instead, yet one more delay is keeping the famed – and rapidly becoming infamous – vessel docked in Philadelphia rather than getting underway for Mobile, Alabama.
The decision to delay yet again was announced by Florida’s Okaloosa County, which has purchased the vessel and now controls her fate. While the aged ocean liner will eventually be scuttled off the Florida panhandle coast near Destin-Fort Worth Beach, the timing has to be right for the delicate move.
“After careful consideration and out of an abundance of caution, Florida’s Okaloosa County has announced that the departure of the SS United States from Philadelphia has been rescheduled for Wednesday, February 19, 2025 due to continued high wind conditions,” the latest delay announcement read.
“We realize these repeated delays have been challenging, but we are committed to sharing these updates with you as we receive them.”
To be fair, the SS United States Conservancy and Okaloosa County do want to ensure the ship is moved smoothly and safely. To do that, weather conditions need to be right.
As of Monday evening, winds in Delaware Bay were reported at 16-20 knots (18-23 miles per hour). Moving just offshore into the Atlantic Ocean, wind speeds increased as high as 24 knots (28 mph).
This most recent delay is just one more day for the vessel to remain in the City of Brotherly Love, as she should now move on Wednesday – one day later than the first wind-related delay.
First, tugboats will maneuver the ship from Pier 80 – where she was moved on Valentine’s Day – out into the Delaware River channel approximately 2-3 hours before low tide. Once low tide is reached, the SS United States can be moved down the river and under various bridges before she will taste the ocean once more.
It is mandatory that the ship be moved at low tide due to clearances with those bridges, particularly the Walt Whitman Bridge – the first span she will encounter, less than a mile from where she has been docked all these years.
Just a few feet will separate the top of the ship’s smokestacks from the bridge’s span as she is moved, and no one wants to risk any dangerous incident that could damage the bridge or the ship.
While still subject to further delays or changes as weather or operational concerns warrant, the SS United States should begin her move down the Delaware River at approximately 12:51 p.m. on Wednesday, February 19, 2025.
The full journey to Mobile is expected to take approximately two weeks, though unforeseen circumstances along the way could cause further changes in the schedule. The ship’s course will be adjusted every six hours with real-time route planning, and she will be tracked online for fans to keep updated on her progress.
Hazards of a Delicate Move
The SS United States is admittedly not in her peak condition after being docked in Philadelphia for the past 343 months, and having been out of service even longer – since November 14, 1969.
Numerous inspections and evaluations have been carried out in recent weeks to ensure the ship is safe to move, though wear and decay on the vessel means she must be moved very carefully under tug assistance.
Optimal weather conditions are essential to avoid any rough conditions or mishaps on her 2,000-mile journey to the ship yard in Mobile, where work will be done to make her suitable to become the world’s largest artificial coral reef. That work will take approximately a year to complete.
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The first 100 miles of the ship’s journey, from Pier 80 down the Delaware River to the Atlantic Ocean, will likely be the most challenging. Along the way, the ship must be carefully maneuvered along the twists and turns of the navigation channel, under numerous bridges, and around other marine traffic.
Once she has reached the open ocean, the SS United States will have more maneuverability in case of difficulties, but will also be more vulnerable to winds and rough weather.
Hopefully, once the weather clears a bit the ship will be able to make her way toward her new destiny and continuing legacy. While it may not be the end for the ship that fans would have wanted, all steps and precautions are being taken to be sure she can reach that end safely.
