SS United States to be Towed to Mobile, Alabama – Cruise Industry News

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Instead of heading to Norfolk, Virginia, the SS United States will be towed to Mobile, Alabama, as it gets ready to become the world’s largest artificial reef.

According to an update shared by Okaloosa County, the decision to move the retired ocean liner to the new location has many benefits for the project.

While Virginia could only offer a limited amount of space and availability, Mobile offers a significantly less expensive option, the county said.

Mobile’s proximity to the Gulf of Mexico will allow for a much more streamlined operation leading to the artificial reef deployment as well, the county added.

“We understand that this is a huge shift in plans and this decision will be disappointing to many supporters in the Norfolk area,” Okaloosa said.

A departure date from the ship’s present dock in Philadelphia has not yet been set, the county added.

“The process to move a ship of this size involves many different agencies, adhering to necessary safety precautions and filing of documents,” Okaloosa noted. “It’s absolutely essential that the ship is moved with the utmost care.”

The county also said that it’s maintaining a robust and healthy relationship with the SS United States Conservancy and will be updating the organization about the project’s status.

Effectively ending a two-year litigation with Penn Warehousing, the Conservancy transferred the title of the 1952-built ship to Okaloosa County earlier this month.

The transfer was part of a project to transfer the retired ocean liner into an artificial reef off Destin-Fort Walton Beach.

As part of the agreement with Okaloosa, the Conservancy will also work on creating a state-of-the-art land museum dedicated to the ship.

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