SS United States' departure from Philadelphia's Pier 82 delayed due to possible storm in Caribbean
The SS United States' departure from Philadelphia, originally scheduled for this week, has been delayed due to a possible storm in the Caribbean.
The iconic ocean liner docked at Pier 82 in Philadelphia for nearly three decades was recently acquired by Okaloosa County, Florida, in a $10 million deal. Officials in Okaloosa County planned to tow the SS United States out of Philadelphia and eventually sink it for it to become the world's largest artificial reef.
The latest plan has the ship heading down to Mobile, Alabama, where it will be prepped for sinking.
But how will this vessel float out of Philadelphia waters?
Sources told CBS News Philadelphia there is a buildup of silt and mud on the river bottom. So when the time comes to move the ship, it will be gently shoved at high tide to the north side of the pier, Pier 80. That way the SS United States won't have to be dragged through the silt. The ship will then be tugged out into the channel.
Sources said the process will take hours.
The marine company handling the move will then wait for low tide for the ship to safely pass beneath the four bridge spans, including the Walt Whitman, the Commodore Barry and the twin spans of the Delaware Memorial Bridge.
The Delaware River Port Authority was checking for CBS News Philadelphia to determine which bridge has the least amount of clearance.
Why? The SS United States floats 151 feet tall above the water surface and one of the bridges along the Delaware River is only a few feet higher than the ship's height.
So what's next? The ship awaits a final sign-off by the U.S. Coast Guard, and then, given cooperating weather, it'll be a bon voyage.