After decades of uncertainty, the fate of the most iconic ocean liner ever built in the United States, the SS United States, has been sealed. The grand vessel, once the symbol of post-war American engineering and maritime supremacy, will be transformed into the world’s largest artificial reef. This historic decision comes more than half a century after the ship was retired from active service in 1969.
On October 1, the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners in Florida approved the purchase of the SS United States for $1 million, taking the first official step in converting the vessel into a monumental artificial reef off the coast of Florida. According to reports, the acquisition will proceed soon, setting in motion a transformation that will give the ocean liner a new purpose—this time, beneath the waves.
The SS United States is not just any ship; it was once the pride of the nation, representing cutting-edge American technology and naval power during the golden era of transatlantic crossings. However, the ship has been out of service since 1969, and for decades, various attempts have been made to preserve its legacy. Unfortunately, despite efforts by maritime historians, ocean liner enthusiasts, and a nonprofit dedicated to its preservation, no viable plan for the ship’s future materialized—until now.
The SS United States has been docked at a pier in Philadelphia for years, under the care of the SS United States Conservancy, a nonprofit organization that acquired the ship in 2011. The Conservancy spent over a decade exploring different ways to save the ship from being scrapped, including proposals to convert it into a museum, a hotel, or even a pier-side entertainment complex. But high costs and a lack of committed investors meant that these plans were never realized.
As the financial burden mounted and the ship’s future became more uncertain, the organization faced a critical decision. After much deliberation, the Conservancy concluded that transforming the SS United States into an artificial reef would be a better option than scrapping the vessel. The decision, while emotional for those who had long supported the ship, opens a new chapter for the vessel.
Under the plan authorized by the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners, the SS United States will soon be transported and prepped for its final journey into the depths of the ocean. Alex Fogg, the Natural Resources Chief for Okaloosa County, presented the plan to the board, explaining how the ship will be towed from its current berth in Philadelphia to Norfolk, Virginia, where extensive preparation work will take place.
This refitting process will involve emptying fuel tanks, cleaning and decontaminating the ship, and removing hazardous materials like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), loose paint, debris, and other pollutants. The ship’s famous twin funnels, which gave it its iconic silhouette, will be removed and preserved. These funnels are expected to be featured in a land-based museum dedicated to the SS United States, part of a larger initiative to commemorate the ship’s legacy.
The budget for the project totals $10.1 million, including funds for the purchase, repair, transportation, and eventual sinking of the ship. An additional $1 million has been set aside for the museum initiative, which will educate visitors about the ship’s historic significance and role in American maritime history.
Once the ship has been prepped, it will be sunk off the coast of Destin-Fort Walton Beach, a popular tourist destination along the Florida Panhandle. According to Fogg, the exact location of the ship’s sinking has yet to be determined, but the plan is to place it 20-21 miles offshore at a depth of around 180 feet. The ship’s top deck, situated at approximately 60 feet below the surface, will be accessible to novice divers, while more experienced technical divers will have the opportunity to explore the ship’s lower levels.
The SS United States is expected to become a major attraction for divers from around the world, and local officials are confident that the artificial reef will generate significant economic benefits for the area. The reefing project is projected to bring in $3 million annually, with tourism playing a central role in this economic boost.
Fogg emphasized that while the project will serve a practical purpose as an artificial reef, it also presents an opportunity to preserve a part of American maritime history. “The SS United States was the pinnacle of American post-war maritime engineering,” he said. “This project allows the ship to continue to serve a purpose, even though it can no longer sail.”
Not everyone is celebrating the ship’s fate, however. Many who have followed the SS United States through its long history of ups and downs see the decision as a tragic conclusion for what was once a symbol of American greatness on the high seas. To them, sinking the ship to the ocean floor is a far cry from the grand preservation efforts that were once envisioned.
The SS United States was built between 1950 and 1951 by United States Lines, designed by the renowned naval architect William Francis Gibbs. The ship’s sleek design and state-of-the-art technology set it apart from any other ocean liner of its time. When it launched in 1952, the SS United States set a new transatlantic speed record, earning the prestigious Blue Riband for the fastest crossing. That record still stands today, as no other ocean liner has surpassed its speed.
Although the ship was capable of transporting passengers in luxury, it was also designed to serve as a naval vessel in times of war, able to transport 14,000 troops over 10,000 miles without refueling. The United States government provided substantial funding for its construction, ensuring that the ship could be easily converted for military use if needed. However, the SS United States never saw military service and spent most of its career ferrying celebrities, diplomats, and tourists across the Atlantic.
Despite its early success, the ship’s commercial operation was short-lived. By the late 1960s, air travel had become more affordable and efficient, and fewer people were booking transatlantic cruises. In 1969, after just 17 years in service, the SS United States was retired.
Over the following decades, the ship changed hands numerous times as various owners attempted to find a profitable use for the vessel. It was stripped of its fittings in 1994, and its once-grand interiors were sold off piece by piece at auction. In 1996, the ship was towed to its current location in Philadelphia, where it remained until the recent decision by the SS United States Conservancy to sell the vessel for reefing.
While many mourn the loss of the ship’s grand legacy, others see the artificial reef project as a fitting conclusion for the SS United States. Once it is submerged beneath the waves, the ship will support marine life, creating a habitat for fish, coral, and other sea creatures. Its immense size and structure will also make it a popular destination for divers, ensuring that its legacy continues in a new form.
When the SS United States is finally sunk, it will become the largest artificial reef in the world, surpassing the USS Oriskany, a decommissioned aircraft carrier that was sunk off the coast of Florida in 2006. The USS Oriskany currently holds the title of the largest artificial reef, but the SS United States, with its massive 1,000-foot length, will soon claim that distinction.
Although the ship will no longer be visible above the water, its story will live on, both through the artificial reef that will bear its name and the museum dedicated to preserving its memory. As the ship’s final voyage approaches, its journey serves as a reminder of a bygone era, when ocean liners ruled the seas, and the SS United States was the undisputed queen of the Atlantic.
