A historic ocean liner, the SS United States, is set to become the world’s largest artificial reef once it is scuttled off Florida’s Gulf Coast. Competing diving businesses are vying for the ship to be sunk closer to their locations, while a group is attempting to block the sinking entirely through legal action.
The nearly 1,000-foot-long vessel, which set the trans-Atlantic speed record on its maiden voyage in 1952, is undergoing a thorough cleaning process at the Port of Mobile in Alabama. Workers are removing all 120 fuel tanks, as well as hazardous materials such as chemicals, wiring, plastics, and glass.
“There’s a lot of nasties on vessels built back in the ‘50s,” said Okaloosa County coastal resource manager Alex Fogg. “When it’s ready to be deployed, it will be a steel and aluminum structure.”
The SS United States will join over 500 artificial reefs managed by Okaloosa County, which includes around a dozen smaller shipwrecks. Officials hope this new reef will attract tourists, boosting revenue for scuba shops, charter fishing boats, hotels, and providing a critical habitat for marine life.
“Our goal is to be the dive capital of Florida,” Fogg added. “We’re even aiming to surpass the Florida Keys.”
The ship is expected to be sunk by the end of the year at one of three permitted locations, all just over 20 nautical miles from Destin, Florida. The depth at all sites is around 180 feet, with the ship’s top decks approximately 60 feet below the surface, making it accessible for both beginner and advanced divers.
Bay County officials have proposed a $3 million offer to Okaloosa County to have the ship sunk closer to Panama City Beach. “Diving is part of our DNA,” said Dan Rowe, President and CEO of Visit Panama City Beach, highlighting the area’s strong diving culture and history with underwater exploration.
Escambia County, closer to Pensacola, has offered $1 million to relocate the ship. However, Visit Pensacola’s CEO Darien Schaefer argues that the western location’s proximity to the USS Oriskany—another popular dive site—would create an iconic diving destination.
The SS United States arrived in Alabama in March after a 12-day tow from Philadelphia, where it had been docked for nearly three decades. Okaloosa County secured ownership after resolving a long-standing rent dispute with the conservancy that managed the vessel.
Efforts to restore the ship have failed over the years due to high costs. Recently, increased media attention has sparked renewed calls for preservation, with the New York Coalition filing a lawsuit in federal court to stop the sinking.
However, Fogg emphasized that sinking the ship as an artificial reef would be more beneficial than scrapping it. The $10.1 million plan for the ship’s purchase, relocation, cleaning, and sinking includes $1 million for a landside museum to honor its history.
“Once the vessel is deployed as an artificial reef, there will be more visitors in the first month underwater than in the last 30 years,” Fogg said.
The SS United States, over 100 feet longer than the RMS Titanic, was once a symbol of American engineering prowess. It served as both a luxury liner and a military transport ship capable of carrying thousands of troops. Its maiden voyage set the trans-Atlantic speed record, averaging 36 knots (about 41 mph), a record it still holds to this day.
