The iconic passenger liner SS United States arrived early Monday in Mobile, Alabama, nearly two weeks after departing under tow from South Philadelphia. She was docked at Modern American Recycling Service (MARS), where if all goes according to plan, she will be stripped of non-metal and potentially hazardous materials in preparation to be sunk as the world’s largest artificial reef, off the coast of Destin-Fort Walton Beach in the Gulf of Mexico. The remediation is expected to take until the end of this year.
The SS United States was taken out of service in 1969. Last year, Okaloosa County, FL purchased the ship for $1 million and budgeted an additional $8 million for remediation, transport, and deployment. The project also includes plans for a land-based museum dedicated to the ship.
A last minute attempt to save the ship from being sunk is being mounted by the New York Coalition to Save the SS United States. They propose mooring the ship in South Red Hook, Brooklyn, NY at the Gowanus Bay Terminal (GBX™) to be used as a public waterfront mixed-use center.
The coalition is partnering with with John Quadrozzi Jr., a New York concrete magnate who owns the Gowanus Bay Terminal. Quadrozzi has access to a 1,300-foot space where the ship could be docked. Dredging of the channel would be required before the ship could be accomodated, however.
The plan to move the ship to Red Hook is not new. Almost a decade ago, we posted about a proposal to move the ship to Gowanus Bay Terminal that never came to fruition.
The coalition has organized a petition drive and a gofundme page. So far they have raised $4,275 and gotten 3,730 signatures. They have also posted an open letter asking President Trump to intervene to save the ship as well as an open letter to the commissioners of Okaloosa County asking them to change their plans.
SS United States arrives in Mobile to become world’s largest artificial reef
Thanks to Doug Faunt for contributing to this post.
Certainly the end of an era. I worked for Farrell Lines (another U.S. flag operator) in Norfolk, VA during the 80s, 90s and beyond and had the pleasure of seeing her daily during her stay at Norfolk International Terminals. Marine life and divers will love her as well when see finally rests.
It’s a disgusting desecration of America to destroy desecrate a iconic American ocean liner in post I have seen whear destruction actions for a historic ship is a 20 yrs sentence I hope all involved who raise a cutting tool or saw or pump to destroy desecrate the ship gets a full sentence
Robby, what do you suggest? The SS United States has not been in service for 56 years and now there is effectively nothing left to save. The interior has been gutted. The power plant is trashed. The hull has suffered from a half century of rust. Six owners attempted to either restore the ship as cruise ship or as a dockside facility. All failed. Since she was moved to Philadelphia in 1996, docking costs alone have exceeded $20 million. Estimates to put the ship back into service are over $1 billion. Will you write that check?