SS United States begins journey down Delaware River, out of Philadelphia to become reef in Gulf
The vessel has been a staple along the Delaware River in South Philadelphia for nearly 30 years
PHILADELPHIA -- It's moving day for the SS United States!
The historic ocean liner has begun its journey down the Delaware River on its way out of Philadelphia on Wednesday.
Track the ship's final voyage HERE.
"Today's the day. She's ready to go," said Warren Jones, a board member for the SS United States Conservancy.
Jones shared a photo with ABC Philadelphia affiliate WPVI from when he says he traveled on the ship to Europe when he was 8-years-old.
He's now a board member of the SS United States Conservancy, helping navigate its next chapter.
"Mixed feelings. It's not the ending that we wanted but its good the ship is going to be taken care of and have a new life rather than going to a scrap yard," he said.
The vessel has been a staple along the Delaware River in South Philadelphia for nearly 30 years, but will now begin its journey to the gulf coast.
The move comes after legal battles over its future and several delays. Now, the ship's new owners say they have completed the necessary safety requirements to move the SS United States.
The majestic ship was sold to Okaloosa County, Florida, last year with the goal of turning it into the world's largest artificial reef.
Here's the plan and timing
Tugboats got into position around 11 a.m., and it began its voyage down the Delaware River around noon, during low tide.
The massive ship will pass under various bridges, including the Walt Whitman Bridge (I-76), the Commodore Barry Bridge (US 322) and the Delaware Memorial Bridge (I-295) along the route. The Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) will be coordinating bridge closures.
The Delaware River Port Authority says drivers should be aware of brief traffic pauses on the bridges as the ship leaves.
Towing the SS United States out of Philadelphia during low tide is very important.
The SS, which stands for steam ship, has the world's tallest smoke stacks of any vessel. It still holds that record after all these years at 65 feet tall, which is the equivalent of a six-story building.
WATCH: Action News archive - Inside the SS United States
Last week, the first phase of the move took place as the city was celebrating the Eagles victory parade. The SS United States was moved from Pier 82, where it has sat for decades, to Pier 80. It was moved to the opposite pier to make the departure easier.
Fans of the derelict ship were out early on Wednesday to get a last look before it heads towards its underwater grave off the coast of Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Florida.
Once it leaves Philadelphia, it will head toward Mobile, Alabama, where it will prepped to be sunk off Florida's panhandle.
The journey along the eastern seaboard is expected to take roughly two weeks.
You can track the ship's journey on the Destin-Fort Walton Beach website.
What's next
In fall 2024, Florida's Okaloosa County bought the derelict ship after approving a $10.1 million plan to relocate the ocean liner, sink it and build a $1 million seaside museum chronicling the cruise liner's history.
The ship was originally supposed to leave Philadelphia in November but was delayed due to "logistical details." There was also a tropical disturbance in the Gulf.
RELATED: SS United States to become world's largest artificial reef after years in Philadelphia
Then, earlier this month, plans were in place again to move the ship, but that was halted due to a pier transition delay.
The interior of "America's Flagship" will need to be scrapped and rid of any toxins or asbestos before it can be sent to its underwater grave.
Preparing the vessel for deployment is expected to take about a year.
Once the clean-up is finished, the vessel will then be towed back out to the gulf, where it will travel about 20 miles southeast to just off the shores of Destin-Fort Walton for it to be sunk.
RELATED: Ship sinking expert explains how the SS United States will be prepped for its underwater grave
The ship's final home will be under about 180 feet of water 20 miles off the coast of Destin, Florida.
Okaloosa County hopes the ship will become a destination for scuba divers and attract fish and other wildlife as a reef. It won't be the only shipwreck habitat they have.
History of the SS United States
WPVI was there when the ship first arrived in Philadelphia in 1996.
The ship found its home on Pier 82 after a nonprofit called the SS United States Conservancy saved it from the scrapyard in 2011. However, its plans to rehabilitate the ship never came to fruition.
RELATED: Action News archives: We take a look back at when the SS United States arrived in Philadelphia
Florida officials say they intend to "preserve the SS Unites States' storied history and the memories she has created for so many people over the years."
Christened in 1952, the SS United States was once considered a beacon of American engineering, doubling as a military vessel that could carry thousands of troops. On its maiden voyage from New York to France in 1952, it shattered the transatlantic speed record in both directions, when it reached an average speed of 36 knots, or just over 41 mph (66 kph).
On that voyage, the ship crossed the Atlantic in three days, 10 hours and 40 minutes, besting the RMS Queen Mary's time by 10 hours. To this day, the SS United States -- which is nearly as large as the Chrysler Building -- holds the transatlantic speed record for an ocean liner.
It was originally designed to transport troops and was then reimagined into a cruise liner with passengers who included four U.S Presidents and celebrities.
It became a reserve ship in 1969 and later bounced to various private owners who hoped to redevelop it but eventually found their plans to be too expensive or poorly timed.