Okaloosa County moves SS United States to Mobile

MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — Okaloosa County will have the SS United States move from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to the city of Mobile as opposed to Norfolk, Virginia, according to a Facebook post from the SS United States Conservancy.

Okaloosa County decided on Friday afternoon to move the SS United States from Philadelphia to Mobile to make more accommodations for the ship such as spacing, availability, cost efficiency and being in close proximity to the county.

The deal to move the SS United States from Philadelphia to Okaloosa County to become the largest artificial reef in the world was officially made earlier this month. This deal included moving the decommissioned ship to Norfolk where it would be stripped of hazardous materials so it could be an artificial reef.

The ship’s departure from Philadelphia has not been set, but Okaloosa County’s release to SS United States Conservancy states that Norfolk’s hopeful availability was set for two to four months.

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