After years of uncertainty and multiple delays, the historic SS United States has begun its final journey.
The legendary ocean liner departed Philadelphia on Wednesday morning, heading to Mobile, Alabama, to prepare for sinking before reaching its final destination off the coast of Florida, where it will become the world’s largest artificial reef.
The ship’s departure from its longtime berth in South Philadelphia marks the end of an era. Once known as “America’s Flagship,” the SS United States was an icon of American engineering and maritime dominance. It set sail down the Delaware River, guided by tugboats, before reaching open waters. Weather conditions and shifting tides played a role in the vessel’s carefully timed exit from its berth.
A Legacy of Speed and Innovation
The SS United States was designed to be a luxurious passenger liner and a strategic military asset, capable of carrying thousands of troops if needed. Its maiden voyage in 1952 shattered the transatlantic speed record, crossing in three days, 10 hours, and 40 minutes—beating the RMS Queen Mary’s record by 10 hours. To this day, it remains the fastest ocean liner ever built.
After serving for 17 years and transporting over a million passengers, the ship was retired in 1969. It has since spent decades docked in Philadelphia, awaiting various redevelopment proposals that ultimately never materialized.
Susan Gibbs, the granddaughter of the ship’s designer and President of the SS United States Conservancy, spoke about the vessel’s storied past. “As the fastest ship to ever cross the Atlantic travels for the first time since arriving in Philadelphia in 1996, we are reminded of the postwar high-water mark that the SS United States so gracefully and powerfully embodied when she was launched in 1951,” she said.
A New Purpose Beneath the Waves
The SS United States Conservancy and Philadelphia’s Okaloosa County agreed to relocate, submerge, and repurpose the vessel in October 2024. However, its departure was rescheduled several times before pushing through on February 19.
The ship’s final destination will be off the coast of Destin, Florida, where it will be intentionally sunk to create the world’s largest artificial reef.
The move is part of an effort to enhance marine biodiversity and boost tourism through diving excursions. Before sinking, the ship will undergo prep in Mobile, Alabama, which could take up to six months.
As the SS United States embarks on its final voyage, its legacy as a marvel of American ingenuity endures—this time, beneath the waves.
Those interested in following the ship’s progress can track its real-time journey here.
