PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The iconic SS United States could be departing its South Philadelphia pier next week for its final voyage to become an artificial reef in the Florida Panhandle.
After Okaloosa County in Florida voted to purchase the ship about a month ago from the SS United States Conservancy, Okaloosa officials completed all the requirements from local, state, and federal agencies that were necessary for the vessel to be moved.
The former ocean liner will be towed by tug boat from Philadelphia to Mobile, Alabama, where work to remove hazardous material will take place over the course of a year. Once that's done it will be sunk off the coast of Destin, Florida, to become a divers’ destination as the world's largest artificial reef.
Okaloosa County says preparations to move the vessel will get underway on Thursday, Nov. 14. On the morning of Friday, Nov. 15, the ship will be towed along the Delaware River under the Walt Whitman, Commodore Barry and Delaware Memorial bridges.
The county will continue its partnership with the SS United States Conservancy to develop a land-based museum and visitor center in Destin-Fort Walton Beach that will celebrate and commemorate the nation’s flagship.
The county says that's the plan right now. It could change. It will take approximately two weeks to deliver the ship to get Mobile.