HOUSTON, Miss — EDITOR'S NOTE: The video above is from a report in 2019 on how the battleship will be moved.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department transferred operations of the Battleship Texas to the Battleship Texas Foundation earlier this month.
In 2019, the foundation and TPWD came to an agreement where the foundation would operate and maintain the Battleship Texas for the state. Operational control was transferred via a 99-year lease to the foundation.
The Battleship Texas has been closed to the public since August 2019 to allow preparations for her transport to a shipyard for extensive restoration.
Currently, the foundation and TPWD are preparing the ship for transportation to a shipyard where her hull will be replaced from the waterline down and repainted, along with other necessary repairs and improvements.
The ship is tentatively scheduled to depart her current berth between November-December 2020 and be in the shipyard for a period of approximately 12 months. Once the battleship leaves the shipyard, officials anticipate the ship arriving in the new berth around January-February 2022.
Following a period to prepare the ship for reopening, the plan is to have it receiving visitors by early 2022.
Once the Battleship Texas is reopened to the public, the foundation will offer new experiences and programs for the ship’s visitors to enjoy.