GALVESTON, Texas — The historic Battleship Texas was placed back into the water for the first time in more than a year on Tuesday.
Battleship Texas has been undergoing much-needed repairs at the Gulf Copper Dry Dock & Rig Repair in Galveston, Texas since 2022. The goal is to restore the ship to its World War II glory. So far, over 700 tons of steel have been replaced and the ship's hull has been painted.
Getting to see the ship move from one dock to the next was a treat for many despite the fog.
Around 9:15 a.m., the Battleship Texas moved from the dry dock to a nearby wet berth.
The Battleship Texas Foundation said it’s a cost-saving move that allows work to be done on the topside of the ship. That includes replacing the wood deck, more re-painting, and finishing work on the navigation bridge. This could last between 18 to 24 months.
This icon of the seas fought in Normandy, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.
The Battleship Texas Foundation said the ship floated and moved well Tuesday morning.
“We feel great. It’s been in the dry dock 18 months. It was a major victory to get her here in the dry dock and this is a result of our hard work and what we’ve been doing for the last 18 months working on the hull,” Tony Gregory, president and CEO of the Battleship Texas Foundation, said.
The Battleship Texas Foundation said they plan to re-open the ship to the public by the end of next year. Talks to find a new home for the ship are underway.
For 18 months, the ship has undergone extensive repairs costing more than $21 million.
“So we’re going to be restoring 60 spaces inside or semi-restoring 60 spaces inside, as well as replacing the wood deck and repairing the super structure, this is going to make it accessible to the public and relaunch it as an exciting, modern technological museum when we re-open to the public,” Matthew Pham, vice-president of development for the Battleship Texas, said.
If all goes according to plan, Battleship Texas could reopen to the public by late 2025.