While the SS United States finally made her initial move from Pier 82 to Pier 80 in Philadelphia on Valentine’s Day after multiple delays, the ship will not be making her way down the Delaware River as planned on Monday, February 17, 2025.
A high wind warning has forced yet another delay for the ocean liner’s departure from Philadelphia following a protracted legal battle, eventual pier eviction, and search for a new home.
“After completing additional due diligence involving further testing and safety protocols for the U.S. Coast Guard and safely moving the SS United States from her decades-long berth at Pier 82 to Pier 80, Okaloosa County has announced that a high wind warning issued for Monday, February 17, has delayed the anticipated departure of the SS United States from Philadelphia by a day,” the SS United States Conservancy reported.
While this latest delay is sure to be frustrating for those eager to see the ship once more set sail, it is only a one-day change from the most recent plan for the ship’s departure.
“The SS United States is now expected to begin her tow down the Delaware River at approximately 12:00 PM ET on Tuesday, February 18,” the Conservancy confirmed.
Low tide on Tuesday is at 12:29 p.m., which is when the ship will begin to get underway. This is critical timing to ensure the vessel – which measures 153 feet from keel to funnel – can safely pass beneath various bridges on her way to the Atlantic Ocean.
The SS United States must past beneath the Walt Whitman Bridge (150-foot clearance), the Commodore Barry Bridge (192-foot clearance), and the Delaware Memorial Bridge (174-foot clearance) before reaching the eastern seaboard.
While it may seem that the elderly ocean liner will be unable to pass below the Walt Whitman Bridge, bridge clearance is measured from the surface of the water to the underside of the span. The SS United States has a 31-foot draft – the distance from the waterline to the bottom of the hull beneath the surface.
This means that the height of the ship from the waterline to her tallest point above water is roughly 144 feet. This leaves just a 6-foot clearance to pass below the Walt Whitman Bridge.
This small space requires very precise timing for the liner to move down the Delaware River and safely pass beneath the bridge. This is most particularly on many people’s minds less than a year after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, after it was struck by the container ship Dali.
A Very Controversial Move
The ship’s continual delays have stirred both jokes and controversy over the plans for her disposition.
The initial plan was for the SS United States to begin her final voyage in mid-November 2024, but that was not possible due to the development of late-season tropical storms.
She was then scheduled to begin her trip on February 6, 2025, but that was delayed at the last minute for even more due diligence.
Now, this third delay for a high wind warning really demonstrates just how precarious the ship’s repositioning can be.
Some fans of the ship have commented that perhaps she doesn’t want to move after all, and fate might be intervening to provide more time for a plan to surface for her salvation.
Unfortunately, that will not be the case, as the deal with Okaloosa County, Florida to convert the hull into the world’s largest coral reef is moving forward, just not on the initially anticipated schedule.
The ship did take her first cautious steps on February 14, with tugboats slowly easing the vessel from Pier 82 to Pier 80. The small lateral move was nevertheless significant for a ship that has remained firmly docked since 1996.
Many supporters of the vessel are dismayed at the plans to scuttle the ship, though this will help preserve her legacy – albeit below the waves rather than above them. A land-based museum near her sinking location will also contain artifacts, memorabilia, and other material to share her legacy with future generations.
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Once she moves down the river, it will take approximately two weeks for the ship to complete her tug-driven voyage to Mobile, Alabama. The ship’s course will be closely monitored en route, with adjustments every six hours as needed for weather, currents, and other factors.
