Departure of historic ship from Philadelphia harbor now delayed

The departure of a historic ship from Philadelphia planned for this week has now been delayed.
The SS United States was scheduled to depart a harbor in Philadelphia for the first time in 30 years on Friday, Nov. 15. Operations have now been delayed to “ensure logistical details” and procedures maintain ideal conditions for the move, officials said on Tuesday.
A tropical disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico is also being monitored. A new departure date has not yet been set.
Once the date is determined, the ship will make a two week long journey to Mobile, Alabama.
Last month, Okaloosa County, Florida, purchased the ship to repurpose it as an artificial reef, making it an addition to the panhandle’s seabed to grow the area’s diving tourism.
Workers will swing the ship from its current mooring at Pier 82 in Philadelphia to Pier 80 the night before its departure. It will stay at Pier 80 overnight before departing during low tide.
The Walt Whitman and Commodore Barry bridges will be closed as the ship is towed out to sea. Both bridges connect Philadelphia to South Jersey and are managed by the Delaware River Port Authority.
The ship will also pass under the Delaware Memorial Bridge, but traffic isn’t expected to be halted.
The ship, branded “America’s Flagship” during its run on the now-defunct United States Lines, has been docked in Philadelphia since 1996. Members of the SS United States Conservancy, a nonprofit that’s been the ship’s guardian since 2011, and Florida officials gathered on board the ship last month to formally approve its sale.
Officials expect the ship to spend about a year at the Alabama dock to prepare it for becoming an artificial reef.
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Nicolas Fernandes may be reached at [email protected].