The much-anticipated departure of the historic SS United States from Philadelphia has been delayed yet again, thanks to a few last-minute logistical knots.
Originally set to leave its Philly harbor on Friday, November 15—marking the first time it would venture out in three decades—the iconic ship's journey has been postponed due to a brewing tropical disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico. This is the second time the departure has been delayed due to a storm.
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No new departure date has been set, but when it finally gets the green light, the SS United States will set sail on a two-week journey to Mobile, Alabama, to begin a new form of service. Last month, officials in Okaloosa County, Florida, secured the vessel to transform it into an artificial reef, hoping to boost diving tourism along the Panhandle’s coast.
When the ship finally departs, both the Walt Whitman and Commodore Barry bridges will close as the ship is towed out to open waters. The SS United States will also sail under the Delaware Memorial Bridge, though traffic disruptions there are expected to be minimal.
Dubbed "America’s Flagship," the SS United States has been docked in Philadelphia since 1996. The SS United States Conservancy, a nonprofit that’s been overseeing the ship since 2011, gathered with Florida officials last month to make the sale official. Once in Alabama, the ship will undergo a year of prep work before it settles into its new life as an underwater destination.