FLORIDA'S OKALOOSA COUNTY ANNOUNCES NEW TIMING FOR SS UNITED STATES' PLANNED DEPARTURE FROM PHILADELPHIA

After completing additional due diligence involving further testing and safety protocols for the U.S. Coast Guard, Okaloosa County has again received approval to proceed with moving the SS United States from Pier 82 in South Philadelphia to a docking area in Mobile, Alabama.

While still subject to last-minute changes or cancellations due to weather or other factors, the first phase of the operations to move America’s Flagship will begin on Friday, February 14th. The ship will first be moved laterally from Pier 82 to the adjacent Pier 80. She will then be towed down the Delaware River on Monday, February 17th. This complex operation will be conducted in phases: 

• Friday, February 14, 2025: At approximately12:00pm ET, tugboats will secure themselves to the SS United States at Pier 82 and maneuver the vessel to the north side of the slip in conjunction with high tide (at approximately 2:47pm), where she will be secured to Pier 80.
• Monday, February 17, 2025: Tugboats will maneuver the SS United States out into the Delaware River channel and then proceed with the tow down river at low tide at approximately 11:18am. The ship will pass under various bridges, including the Walt Whitman Bridge (I-76), the Commodore Barry Bridge (U.S. 322), and the Delaware Memorial Bridge (I-295) along her route, with the Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) coordinating bridge closures. 

During the SS United States' two-week tow along the eastern seaboard, Okaloosa's contractors will be utilizing real-time route planning, which will adjust the ship's course every 6-hours based on weather and currents. You can track the ship's course HERE.

Please Note: These are tentative times and dates that remain subject to change. We will continue to keep you informed as plans advance. 

REMINDER: VIEWING THE SS UNITED STATES' DEPARTURE FROM PHILADELPHIA

We recognize that many of our supporters are interested in seeing America's Flagship depart from Philadelphia either in-person or tracking her progress online.

To facilitate your participation, a livestream will be broadcast on the SS United States Conservancy's Facebook page. (NOTE: A facebook account is not required to view the livestream. Simply go to www.facebook.com/ssusc and the stream will appear at the top of the page when it goes live.) The stream will go live at approximately 11:00am on Monday, February 17, 2025, in advance of America's Flagship passing under the Walt Whitman Bridge.

Because Piers 82 and 80 are both within an area secured by the Transportation Security Administration (part of the Department of Homeland Security), the general public cannot access the piers. Potential viewing locations include:

• The IKEA parking lot at 2206 S Columbus Blvd in Philadelphia.
• The second-floor cafeteria at IKEA, which is open from 11:00am - 7:00pm (hours may vary due to the holiday)
• Waterfront public parks such as Phoenix Park at 227 Jefferson Street in Camden, New Jersey.

There are also several potential vantage points along the Delaware River south of the Walt Whitman Bridge. The include:

• Proprietors Park (225 S King St, Gloucester City, NJ 08030)
• Fort Mifflin (6400 Hog Island Rd, Philadelphia, PA 19153)
• Red Bank Battlefield (100 Hessian Ave, National Park, NJ 08063)
• Fort Nassau (110 New Jersey Rd, Brooklawn, NJ 08030)
• RiverWinds Complex (1000 RiverWinds Drive, West Deptford, NJ 08086)



SEEKING VIDEO FOOTAGE OF THE SHIP BEING MOVED

In commemoration of the SS United States’ move from pier 82 to 80 and her subsequent departure from Philadelphia, the SS United States Conservancy encourages any supporters in proximity to her transit (from Philadelphia, all along the East Coast, Florida, and Mobile, Alabama) to use their smart phones or digital cameras to shoot video of the ship’s voyage from safe vantage points.

As the Conservancy plans its future museum and prepares to celebrate the extraordinary story of the SS United States in film, fresh footage of the ship moving for the first time in 28 years could prove invaluable for future audio-visual productions celebrating our Flagship’s tenacious and inspiring history.

Details for sharing your videos with us will be forthcoming, and if your footage is used in any of our film productions, we’ll give you an on screen credit and send you a DVD copy of the 2008 documentary "SS United States: Lady in Waiting." Please note that proper releases will be sent to you prior to our using your footage. Please record in the highest quality your phone or camera allows (preferably 4K, 24 FPS, or HD 1080*) and note that videos must be shot horizontally (landscape with your camera held sideways in widescreen) and NOT vertically (like TikTok). We invite our supporters to join us and be part of this next chapter for our beloved SS United States.

*On iPhone, Settings>Camera>Record Video, on Android open the cam app, click on “more” bottom right, select Pro Video, then on the top right select UHD 60