Battleship IOWA Relocation Analysis and Update

To our supporters:

Battleship USS IOWA Museum has played an integral role in the community and the Port of Los Angeles from the day it docked next to the cruise ship terminal in San Pedro. Thanks to your support and that of many others, the ship has become one of the top ranked tourist destinations in the greater Los Angeles Basin while providing services and support to veterans, STEAM education to school students, a public gathering place for patriotic holidays, and a home for one of the largest ongoing Fleet Week events in the US Navy.

When the opportunity came to move to the West Harbor as part of the new waterfront development and connectivity plan, based on the information we had at that time, we believed it to be the best alternative. We asked for your support for the move, and you responded enthusiastically. Over the past several years, there has been widespread advocacy for the relocation of Battleship IOWA to the SP Slip as an important connection element on the waterfront.

We researched costs, feasibility, and logistics options to make this move. During the last quarter of 2023, the IOWA team reviewed updated information to help make this decision – including dredging, mooring, slip dimensions, and pier structure to determine whether it made sense to relocate USS IOWA.

After a thorough examination of the information, we found that even with funding from the Port of Los Public Access Investment Fund, there is not enough money to safely move the ship to the new location or to properly maintain the ship after it moved. The estimated costs to perform the necessary repairs and the infrastructure to accommodate IOWA are expected to exceed millions of dollars more than the original estimate.

The new location would also present significant and additional challenges for Battleship IOWA in addition to the heavy financial burdens. The most significant cost and challenge is the dredging necessary to ensure that damage does not occur to the hull of the ship from tidal and weather variations. Other challenges include a hull safety and maintenance zone that is too small, increasing the potential for damage to our cathodic protection system. Furthermore, the new pier is not expected to be able to support the ongoing maintenance operations of the ship today, much less the expansion plans we have for growth.

Broad-based support and millions of visitors have left little doubt that Battleship IOWA has helped lead the transformation of the LA Waterfront as a tourist destination since her arrival in 2012. Connecting our waterfront into a unified destination to maximize economic activity to San Pedro remains a priority for our community, IOWA, Councilmember McOsker, the port, and the city.

As a community, we have seen first-hand how the lack of connection and unification of our waterfront has left visitor dollars on the table. The IOWA team is committed to ensuring the LA Waterfront is connected to maximize economic activity for the community.

In early 2024 during the Port of Los Angeles Public Access Investment Budget prioritization process, the IOWA team will present to the community how IOWA can connect the waterfront and the cruise terminal by staying in its current location and save millions of dollars in the process. We are deeply appreciative of the continued backing of the community and nation and look forward our ongoing role in the growth of the waterfront.

Jonathan Williams
President & CEO

Fun Fact: Did you know… on average every one of our plank owners has contributed $150 to the National Museum of the Surface Navy?