SS United States Finally Leaves Philadelphia to Begin Its Last Chapter
By Forrest Brown and Danny Freeman, CNN Wed February 19, 2025
The storied ocean liner SS United States leaves its Philadelphia pier in the Delaware River on Wednesday. From SS United States Conservancy/Facebook
After months of multiple delays, the SS United States finally left its longtime home of Philadelphia just before 1 p.m. ET Wednesday. The storied ocean liner's next stop is Mobile, Alabama, where it will be prepared for its final mission - to become an artificial reef off the coast of the Florida Panhandle. The American maritime icon, nearly as large as the Chrysler Building, was launched in 1951 and set the transatlantic speed record in 1952.
All manner of concrete, steel, and stone rubble from dredging, demolition projects, and other construction is used as artificial reef materials. This material is generally available at very low cost or free from construction companies who are more than happy to get rid of it. Transportation costs determine where this material is used by the Reef Program.
This site on the Shark River Artificial Reef consists of two long ridges of seven huge rock piles each, with one long valley east-west between them. Between piles, there are smaller valleys. Each ridge contains approximately two million tons ( or one million cubic yards ) of granite, blasted and dredged from the bottom of New York harbor between September 2002 and September 2003. Peak depths range from 85 to 105 ft, bottom depth is 130 ft. In addition, 15 Redbird subway cars were deposited on or near one of the piles. A similar rockpile is located in shallower water on the Axel Carlson Reef.
