SS United States departs Philadelphia, ahead of conversion to artificial reef

America’s flagship, the historic ocean liner SS United States, has departed Philadelphia for the final time, bound for Mobile, Alabama, where she will be sunk 20 miles offshore to become an artificial reef.

The 302 metre, 53,000 gross ton vessel moved for the first time in 28 years Wednesday when she was taken under tow down the Delaware River and out to sea.

Built through a public-private partnership as a luxury ocean liner and a top-secret, high-speed, troop transport, SS United States was the fastest serving ship on the trans-Atlantic from 1951 to 1961.

SS United States embodies a legacy of innovation, representing cutting-edge naval engineering and advanced maritime design. Built with lightweight materials, including aluminum, it set new standards for speed, efficiency, and adaptability. Its construction reflected Cold War-era advancements, designed to convert into a high-speed troop carrier if needed.

As a symbol of national pride, the ship was a triumph of American ingenuity, proving that the United States could rival and surpass European ocean liners in both luxury and performance at a time when the trans-Atlantic passenger trade was dominated by French and British lines, particularly Cunard.

The ship was a floating ambassador for American industry, craftsmanship, and ambition, capturing the spirit of post-war optimism and technological progress. During the high water mark for the golden age of ocean liners, when transatlantic travel was at its most glamorous, she carried celebrities, dignitaries, and business leaders.

Among the many thousand of passengers she carried were four US Presidents (Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy and a young Bill Clinton) as well as Judy Garland, Coco Chanel, Sean Connery, Marilyn Monroe, and Walt Disney.

Crowds gathered along the banks of the Delaware River to watch the famous vessel take to the seas for the penultimate time. 

“Today, the nation’s sole surviving ocean liner will glide down the Delaware River to begin the next chapter in her uniquely American story,” said Susan Gibbs, President of the SS United States Conservancy and granddaughter of famed naval architect and SS United States’ designer, William Francis Gibbs. 

“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 added.

The voyage under tow to Mobile is expected to take about two weeks at around 6 knots, assisted by a number of support vessels. In Mobile, SS United States will be dry docked and contractors will remove hazardous materials, including nonmetal parts and fuel to ensure the ship does not harm the environment when she is sunk.

Modifications will also be made to ensure that when the vessel lands upright underwater. The preparation process will take about 12 months, with the exact location of the wreck yet to be announced.

As the world’s largest artificial reef, the ship will benefit her surrounding ecosystem and become home to countless marine species that will thrive from the presence of her structure.