Final resting place of historic SS United States to become artificial reef by Florida

A historic ocean liner will become the world’s largest artificial reef after it sank off Florida’s Gulf Coast early next year.

Okaloosa County officials announced Tuesday that they plan to sink the SS United States in early 2026 about 22 nautical miles (41 kilometers) southwest of Destin and 32 nautical miles (59 kilometers) southeast of Pensacola.

The nearly 1,000-foot (305-meter) ship, which broke the transatlantic speed record on its maiden voyage in 1952, spent most of that year in the port of Mobile in Alabama, being searched to remove chemicals, cables, plastic and glass.

The ship’s final location was chosen in an agreement with Pensacola tourism officials, who are contributing $1.5 million to the project, and the Coastal Conservation Association Florida, which is contributing another $500,000. Officials were considering two other locations, including one that would have placed the ship farther east and closer to Panama City Beach.

“This collaboration will foster incredible 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 transform 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 for a shore-based museum to promote the ship’s history.

Once in place, the SS United States will rest at a depth of about 180 feet (55 meters), but the ship is so high that the upper decks will be about 60 feet (18 meters) from the surface, making it attractive to both beginners and experienced divers. The artificial reef will also be located approximately 12 nautical miles (22 kilometers) from the USS Oriskany, another popular diving destination sunk in 2006.

The SS United States is expected to join Okaloosa County’s more than 500 artificial reefs, which include a dozen small ship wrecks.

“Transforming the SS United States into the world’s largest artificial reef creates a rare opportunity to elevate our entire region on the global stage,” said Darien Schaefer, president and CEO of Visit Pensacola.

The new artificial reef will provide critical habitat for marine life, prompting the Coastal Conservation Association Florida to make its largest donation in the organization’s 40-year history.

“This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to help create the world’s largest artificial reef,” Brian Gorski, executive director of CCA Florida, said in a statement.

The SS United States arrived in Alabama in early March after a 12-day tow from the Delaware River to Philadelphia, where it spent nearly three decades. Okaloosa County took ownership after a years-old rent dispute was resolved last October between the conservancy that oversees the ship and its owner.

Various groups attempted to restore the SS United States over the years, but all projects were ultimately abandoned due to the high cost. Recently, increased media attention has led to more calls for the ship’s preservation, and a group called the New York Coalition filed a lawsuit in federal court in Pensacola asking a judge to stop the sinking of a ship of such historical significance.

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 taller 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 km/h), The Associated Press reported from aboard.

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.