SS United States prepares for final voyage from Philadelphia to Florida
The SS United States, the iconic ocean liner docked at Pier 82 for nearly three decades, is preparing to set sail for a new chapter in its storied history. A ceremony held Saturday by the SS United States Conservancy marked a heartfelt farewell to the ship, which will soon leave its Philadelphia home and head to Norfolk, Virginia, before its final destination in Okaloosa County, Florida.
The ship has been a landmark at Pier 82 since 1996, but a recent agreement between the conservancy and Penn Warehousing will see the vessel leave its longtime berth. Tom Watkins, a board member of the conservancy, voiced the deep emotions surrounding the ship's departure.
"You will not be lost, you will not be forgotten, you will no longer be neglected and abused," Watkins said during the event. "You will be rightly honored, cherished, and loved in a new home."
The SS United States, which broke the record for speed sailing across the transatlantic, was in operation from 1952 to 1969. Now, after a years-long legal debate over its future, the ship will undergo a transformation into what organizers say will be the world's largest artificial reef. The process will begin with a remediation process in Norfolk, where hazardous materials will be removed. That process is expected to take about a year before it is submerged off the Florida coast.
The plan also includes the removal and preservation of the ship's stacks, which will be housed in a land-based museum dedicated to the vessel's legacy.
Conservancy President Susan Gibbs, the granddaughter of the ship's designer, expressed her mixed emotions during the ceremony.
"Under a binding court order, we faced the painful but unavoidable choice between scrapping America's flagship or converting her into an artificial reef in tandem with a land-based museum," Gibbs said. "We chose the latter as the most dignified path."
Okaloosa County officials, who joined the conservancy for the ceremonial signing of transfer paperwork, are hopeful the SS United States will continue to make history in its new role as a major diving destination.
"This is going to be the Everest for our area," said Alex Fogg, the county's chief of natural resources. "People will be traveling from all over the world to dive and see her."
While Gibbs acknowledged the heartache of seeing the ship leave its home, she thanked the city of Philadelphia for its role in the SS United States' preservation.
"Speaking on behalf of the ship, thank you, Philly, for making such a great home," she said.
The ship is expected to leave Pier 82 by the end of the month.