Maintaining a memorial. The Battleship prepares to leave Camden

CAMDEN — BB-62. USS New Jersey. The Battleship. After over two decades at its pier here, this historic ship and waterfront museum is preparing to move. And soon.

The Battleship New Jersey will be towed to Philadelphia and dry docked for maintenance sometime in March, said Marshall Spevak, the museum's Interim CEO.

The departure date depends on the availability of the shipyard, the same one where the USS New Jersey was built in the early 1940s.

Workers recently removed the ship's mast and radar array, granting just enough space - about five to 10 feet of clearance - to squeeze the vessel under the Walt Whitman Bridge on its way down the Delaware.

What is dry docking and why is it necessary?

Dry docking involves exposing typically submerged parts of a ship, like the hull, in a shipyard for cleaning, inspection and repair.

Navy regulations require decommissioned vessels to be dry docked for maintenance every 20 years.

For the USS New Jersey, it's been over 30.

"The longer we kick the can down the road, the more expensive the project becomes, so we've been pushing to do it now," Spevak said.

The museum will host weekend tours during its expected two-month stint in Philadelphia, offering a new spin on its typical educational experience.

"You won't be coming onto the battleship, you'll be going under the battleship," Spevak said.

During dry dock, the 887-foot-long ship will receive coatings to protect and seal its hull.

Workers also will inspect and replace some of the 1,200 zinc anodes that protect the hull from corrosion

And they'll inspect 600 through-hull openings that allow cooling water into the engines.

Additional smaller projects and maintenance efforts will also be undergone.

Spevak said the $10 million goal for the project had not been reached as of Jan. 18, but the museum has enough money in its account and in commitments to move "full steam ahead."

Though he declined to share the fundraising total, Spevak said that the project had received $5 million from the state last year. The museum is finalizing a bond transaction of $3.25 million in conjunction with the Camden County Improvement Authority and TD Bank, and is also in receipt of a $750,000 matching grant from the New Jersey Historic Trust.

Battleship's voyage will draw a crowd

The opportunity to see the battleship float down the Delaware is not lost on Spevak.

"For many ship veterans and our volunteers who are getting older, this will likely be the last time they ever see the ship move ... We take this obligation very seriously here," he said.

Celebrations are expected to mark the battleship's departure and return.

Maintaining a memorial

As the move drifts nearer, electrical, mechanical and other utilities work is being completed on the ship to prepare for its movement.

A small crew will also be on board during the trip to handle any issues or events that may arise.

Spevak's "ambitious" goal is to have the ship back on Camden's Waterfront by Memorial Day weekend.

"We're a museum and memorial here, and it's incredibly important that we keep this ship here and floating and operating for future generations," Spevak said. "That's our mission."

Kaitlyn McCormick writes about trending issues and community news across South Jersey for the Courier-Post, The Daily Journal and the Burlington County Times. If you have a story she should tell, email her at kmccormick@gannett.com. And subscribe to stay up to date on the news you need.

This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Battleship New Jersey to leave Camden in March. How crews are preparing