Legendary Ocean Liner to be Scuttled in the USA, Becoming the World's Largest Artificial Reef

The scuttling site is located approximately 41 kilometers southwest of Destin and 59 kilometers southeast of Pensacola, Florida. The exact timing of the operation may change depending on weather and sea conditions.

The length of the SS United States is almost 305 meters — more than 30 meters longer than the "Titanic". The liner became one of the outstanding engineering achievements of the mid-20th century. It was also designed with the possibility of being used for military transport.

During its maiden voyage in 1952, the vessel set a record for transatlantic speed. The average speed of the liner exceeded 66 kilometers per hour, or 36 knots. It covered the route in three days, 10 hours, and 40 minutes, beating the previous record holder, RMS Queen Mary, by 10 hours. The SS United States still holds the record for the fastest Atlantic crossing among passenger ships.

For almost three decades, the liner lay near the shores of the Delaware River in Philadelphia. Throughout this time, historical preservation enthusiasts sought opportunities to restore it, but ambitious restoration projects repeatedly fell through due to the extremely high cost of the work.

Eventually, a protracted legal conflict between the non-profit organization that cared for the ship and the pier owner over mooring fees and rent concluded with a court decision requiring the pier to be vacated.

In March, the liner was towed for 12 days to the port of Mobile, Alabama. There, it was prepared for scuttling over several months: electrical wiring, glass, and plastic elements were dismantled, and hazardous chemicals were removed.

The environmental organization New York Coalition opposed the scuttling. It appealed to a federal court in Pensacola, attempting to halt the operation for the sake of historical preservation. However, local authorities consider transforming the liner into an artificial reef to be the only realistic alternative to scrapping it for metal.

Susan Gibbs, president of the non-profit SS United States Conservancy, stated that the liner had inspired millions worldwide as a symbol of American pride and excellence. According to her, transforming the ship into an artificial reef will allow it to be preserved as a unique historical landmark both above and below water.

Okaloosa County plans to spend a total of 10.1 million dollars on the project's implementation. These funds will go towards the acquisition of the vessel, its transportation, cleaning, and scuttling. Another one million dollars from the overall budget is allocated for the creation of a shoreside museum dedicated to the liner's history.

Cooperation between local organizations helped secure funding. Representatives of Pensacola's tourism industry allocated 1.5 million dollars, and the environmental organization Coastal Conservation Association Florida contributed another 500 thousand dollars. For the latter, this is the largest single donation in its 40 years of existence.

After scuttling, the SS United States will join a network of over 500 artificial reefs in Okaloosa County. Among them, there are already about a dozen smaller scuttled vessels.

The liner will rest on the seabed at a depth of about 55 meters, with its upper decks approximately 18 meters from the water's surface. This will make it accessible for underwater dives for both beginners and experienced scuba divers. Approximately 22 kilometers from this location lies the aircraft carrier USS Oriskany, scuttled in 2006 to create a diving site.

Local authorities expect the new site to become an important tourist attraction. Businesses, including diving equipment shops, charter fishing companies, and hotels, hope to generate millions of dollars in tourism revenue annually thanks to it.

Okaloosa County Commissioner Paul Mixon stated that the project will open new opportunities for visitors and contribute to the development of Florida's tourism economy. County Commissioner Mel Ponder also called the liner a legacy that can be passed down to future generations. According to him, the project will benefit not only divers and fishermen but also the entire local community.

In addition to its tourism value, the scuttled liner is expected to become a new living environment for marine organisms. Darian Schaefer, head of the Visit Pensacola tourism organization, noted that the creation of the world's largest artificial reef will give the region an opportunity to attract international attention. Brian Gorski, Executive Director of Coastal Conservation Association Florida, called the project a unique opportunity to participate in the creation of such an object.

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