A once-iconic ocean liner is on course to become the largest artificial reef worldwide as it is prepared to be submerged off Florida’s Gulf Coast. As diving businesses compete to have the enormous vessel sunk near them, one faction has opposed the plan entirely by taking legal action to prevent the sinking.
The SS United States, a majestic ship measuring nearly 1,000 feet (305 meters), set the trans-Atlantic speed milestone during its inaugural journey in 1952. It is undergoing significant cleaning at Alabama’s Port of Mobile. Workers are tasked with emptying and purging all 120 fuel tanks and eliminating chemicals, wiring, plastic, and glass.
“There are many harmful substances on ships built in the ’50s,” said Alex Fogg, Okaloosa County’s coastal resource manager. “The finished product will essentially be an unclothed steel and aluminum skeleton.”
The SS United States will soon join the roster of Okaloosa County’s more than 500 artificial reefs, including several smaller shipwrecks. County officials aim for this endeavor to attract tourists, bolster scuba shops, charter fishing boats, and hotels, and provide a habitat for essential fish species and marine life.
“The objective is to establish Florida as the top diving destination,” Fogg declared. “Our ultimate aim is to outperform the renowned Florida Keys.”
The plan is for the SS United States to be sunk by year’s end at one of three approved sites, all over 20 nautical miles (37 kilometers) from Destin, Florida. All sites are roughly the same depth—about 180 feet (55 meters)—but since the ship stands so tall, its upper decks will rest around 60 feet (18 meters) below the surface.
“That depth is perfect for newcomers, while deeper zones will lure technical and seasoned divers,” Fogg remarked.
Bay County has proposed $3 million to Okaloosa County for the privilege of sinking the ship nearer to Panama City Beach. Dan Rowe, President and CEO of Visit Panama City Beach, highlighted the area’s prominent dive fleet in the northern Gulf Coast, its pioneering underwater technology, and the presence of the U.S. Navy’s dive school at Naval Support Activity Panama City, affirming, “Diving is embedded in our culture.”
In contrast, Escambia County presented an offer of $1 million for a position nearer to Pensacola. Visit Pensacola’s President and CEO, Darien Schaefer, emphasized the strategic advantage of being 12 nautical miles (22 kilometers) away from the USS Oriskany wreck, a renowned dive location since 2006. “It would be iconic to have these two legendary sites so close to each other,” Schaefer posited.
In early March, the SS United States reached Alabama following a 12-day tow from Philadelphia’s Delaware River, where it had been stationed for nearly three decades. Okaloosa County acquired the vessel’s ownership after settling long-standing rental disagreements last October between the ship’s conservatory and landlord. Despite numerous efforts to refurbish the ship over the years, each proposal was abandoned due to high costs. However, recent media interest has invigorated calls to save the ship, resulting in a New York Coalition lawsuit in Pensacola’s federal court to prevent the submersion of this historic vessel.
Nonetheless, Fogg argued that failing its reef transformation would necessitate sending the ship to the scrapyard. The estimated $10.1 million Okaloosa County initiative to procure, transport, clean, and submerge the ship includes $1 million allocated for establishing a shore museum dedicated to preserving its legacy.
“Once positioned underwater as an artificial reef, visitor numbers in its inaugural month will far surpass the last 30 years’ viewership,” Fogg predicted.
The SS United States, extending over 100 feet (30 meters) longer than the RMS Titanic, once stood as a triumph of American engineering and doubled as a military troop transport. It shattered the trans-Atlantic velocity record on its maiden voyage by achieving an average speed of 36 knots, or approximately 41 mph (66 kph). The vessel journeyed across the Atlantic in three days, 10 hours, and 40 minutes, overshadowing the RMS Queen Mary by 10 hours. Remarkably, the SS United States still maintains the trans-Atlantic speed record.