After 20 years, Battleship New Jersey sets sail for drydock refurbishment

For the first time in more than 20 years, the Battleship New Jersey has left port in a historic moment and is starting a vital journey for significant repairs. Before the Battleship sailed to Paulsboro, the first stop on her multi-day journey to drydock, CEO Marshall Spevak announced a celebration to honor this occasion.

“The ship gets ballasted in Paulsboro,” said Spevak, “which means we are adding about 2,000 tons of water to the ship’s tanks to essentially even the ship out… so that when we enter the dry dock in Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on March 27th, we’re essentially making sure that the ship and the hull… doesn’t crack the hull in half.”

When the work in Paulsboro is finished, the ship will be towed back to its birthplace, the Navy Yard in Philadelphia, where repairs will be completed. After an estimated hour-long drive from Paulsboro to Drydock 3, personnel will remove about 6,000,000 gallons of water from the dock in order to expedite the repair procedure.

The restoration project includes a number of tasks, such as repainting the coating, changing the freshwater to saltwater rust monitoring systems, and fixing covers for engine cooling holes. The project has an estimated cost of $10 million, thus in order to help with expenses, a “Donate to Drydock” campaign has been started.

In addition, aficionados can touch the ship’s hull for a charge during special visits of the drydock. “Tickets for our ship’s curator, Ryan Semanski, cost $225 for a dry dock tour, and $1000 for an exclusive tour,” disclosed Spevak. She also mentioned that the excursions help to cover repair costs and make up for lost revenue during the shutdown.

Excitement is building for the remaining tickets after the ship enters drydock, since 1,200 have already been sold. With her involvement in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, the Battleship New Jersey is a living example of naval strength and tenacity. Its restoration adventure represents a dedication to safeguarding this recognizable fragment of maritime history for future generations.