The towering funnels of the legendary SS United States will soon be removed from the historic ocean liner in Mobile, Alabama. Soaring six stories high and sloping backward to convey the record-breaking speed of the ship, the iconic structures will form a dramatic centerpiece of the future SS United States Museum and Visitor Experience. The aft funnel is expected to be removed soon after the forward funnel. The ship is now being prepared for deployment as the “world’s largest artificial reef” off the coast of Florida’s Destin-Fort Walton Beach.
The SS United States, America’s Flagship, arrived in Mobile, Alabama today after an approximately 1,800-mile tow from her berth in Philadelphia. The iconic national symbol and last surviving American ocean liner will now undergo preparations for her deployment as the “World’s Largest Artificial Reef” off Florida’s Gulf Coast near Destin-Fort Walton Beach.
“Today, the nation’s sole surviving ocean liner will glide down the Delaware River to begin the next chapter in her uniquely American story. 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.”
The Conservancy is heartbroken to learn that Joe Rota, 89, passed away peacefully on Monday, Sept. 5, 2022, at his home with his loving family by his side. A founding board member and former crew member, Joe was one of the biggest champions for the cause of saving his beloved SS United States. From his ferocious passion to his epic storytelling about his shipboard adventures, he infused our effort with so much heart, strategic guidance, and humor.
The Conservancy's second Maritime Legacy Cruise, organized and supported by The Pollin Group, was a great success. An enthusiastic group from around the country - hailing from 16 different states - enjoyed traveling aboard the Norwegian Cruise Line’s Breakaway to Portland and Bar Harbor Maine, along with St John, New Brunswick and Halifax, Nova Scotia in Canada.
