It will become a historic ocean liner The largest artificial coral reef in the world After sinking off the Florida Gulf coast early next year.
Okaloosa County officials announced Tuesday that they expect the SS United States to sink in early 2026 about 22 nautical miles (41 kilometers) southwest of Destin and 32 nautical miles (59 kilometers) southeast of Pensacola.
almost A ship 1,000 feet (305 meters) long.The ship, which broke the transatlantic speed record on its maiden voyage in 1952, spent most of this year in the Port of Mobile, Alabama, where it was inspected to remove chemicals, wires, plastic and glass.
The final location of the vessel was chosen as part of an agreement with Pensacola tourism officialswho contributed $1.5 million to the project, and Florida Coastal Conservation Associationwhich kicks in another $500,000. Officials were considering two other locations, including one that would have put the ship further east and closer to it Panama City Beach.
“This collaboration will foster amazing adventures for generations of visitors and create a tourism economy that will benefit the state and the entire Northwest Florida region,” Okaloosa County Board Chairman Paul Mixon said in a statement.
Contributions will be used to convert the SS United States into an artificial reef and fund a multi-year marketing campaign. The deal is part of Okaloosa County’s $10.1 million plan to buy, move, clean and sink the ship, which includes $1 million to create a museum on the beach to promote the ship’s history.
Once in place, the SS United States will rest at a depth of about 180 feet (55 m), but the ship is so long that the upper decks will be about 60 feet (18 m) from the surface, making it attractive to both novice and experienced divers. The artificial reef will also be about 12 nautical miles (22 kilometers) from to USS OriskanyIt is another popular diving destination that sank in 2006.
The SS United States is scheduled to join Okaloosa County over 500 artificial coral reefswhich includes dozens of small shipwrecks.
“Converting the SS United States into the world’s largest artificial reef creates a rare opportunity to raise the profile of our entire region on the world stage,” said Darren Schaefer, President and CEO of Visit Pensacola.
The new artificial reef will provide essential habitat for marine life, prompting the Florida Coastal Conservation Society to make its largest donation in the organization’s 40-year history.
“This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to contribute to the creation of the largest artificial reef in the world,” Brian Gorski, executive director of CCA Florida, said in a statement.
The SS United States arrived in Alabama at the beginning of March after a 12-day tow from the Delaware River in Philadelphia, where it had spent nearly three decades. Okaloosa County acquired the property after a years-long lease dispute It has been solved Last October, the reserve that supervised the ship and its owner.
Various groups have attempted to restore the US SS over the years, but all plans were eventually abandoned due to the prohibitive cost. Recently, increased media interest has led to increased calls for the ship’s preservation, and a group called… The New York coalition sued in Pensacola federal court asking a judge to stop the sinking of such a historically significant ship.
But Okaloosa County officials said preventing the SS United States from becoming a reef would only send it to the scrapyard.
The ship, which is more than 100 feet (30 meters) longer than the RMS Titanic, was once considered a beacon for thousands of American troops. On its maiden voyage, the ship reached an average speed of 36 knots, or just over 41 mph (66 kph), the Associated Press reported. Reported from the plane.
The ship crossed the Atlantic Ocean in three days, 10 hours and 40 minutes, beating the time of the RMS Queen Mary by 10 hours. To this day, the SS United States holds the transatlantic speed record for an ocean liner.