Battleship New Jersey to stay longer in dry dock. What's the outlook for its return?

PHILADELPHIA — The Battleship New Jersey will remain in dry dock here a little longer than initially planned.

When the ship left Camden on March 21, the "ambitious goal" was for its return to South Jersey by Memorial Day weekend, said Marshall Spevak, the top executive at the floating museum.

Now, while there's no definitive date, the 887-foot battleship will be heading home sometime in June, Marshall said.

Spevak on May 7 said he hoped a return date would be set within the next couple of weeks.

Meanwhile, the battleship's Facebook page has announced additional dry dock tours for Fridays, May 10 and May 17.

Tours have already sold out for Memorial Day, May 27, and for the June 1-2 weekend.

Separately, Spevak was recently named the battleship's CEO, after holding that post on an interim basis for about five months. He has been a museum trustee for eight years.

Spevak is leading the ship's $10 million project in a Philadelphia ship yard, where workers are performing maintenance work on the hull.

In a May 2 announcement of his promotion, Spevak said he plans to expand the ship's reach through educational programs and to expand its online presence.

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This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Battleship New Jersey to stay longer in dry dock. What's the outlook for its return?