The SS United States, a gargantuan ocean liner, is being converted into the world’s largest artificial reef after a preservation society could not fund its restoration as a museum ship.

The SS United States was once the pride of America’s passenger fleet. But now, the vaunted ocean liner—once one of the world’s fastest ships—is facing a bittersweet end: she will be intentionally sunk in the Gulf of Mexico on November 12, creating the world’s largest artificial reef.

The Okaloosa County, Florida, government plans to transform the 990-foot vessel into an offshore reef and possible tourist attraction. Located 22 nautical miles southwest of Destin–Fort Walton Beach, the project aims to create a new marine habitat, lure recreational divers, and support the local economy. It’s a curious and not entirely comforting ending for a notable vessel from the halcyon days of trans-Atlantic ship transport.

About the SS United States

The SS United States can properly be described as an engineering marvel. The vessel was designed by naval architect William Francis Gibbs, and was intended to demonstrate American prowess through advanced maritime engineering.

Constructed at Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia, the SS United States is approximately 990 feet long, even longer than the Titanic. With four steam turbines driving four propellers, the vessel enjoyed 240,000 shaft horsepower—which is why, during the vessel’s maiden voyage in 1952, she crossed the Atlantic in a record time of 3 days, 12 hours, and 12 minutes, capturing the Blue Riband for fastest transatlantic passenger crossing. The ship’s eastbound crossing averaged approximately 35.6 knots (41 miles per hour) throughout the record-breaking voyage. (When exactly the United States lost the Blue Riband is a minor historical question: billionaire Richard Branson completed a trans-Atlantic crossing more quickly in 1986, but his vessel was much smaller and could not hold passengers, leading the original trophy owners to refuse to surrender it. Another passenger vessel, Hoverspeed Great Britain, definitively broke the record in June 1990.)

The massive but speedy ship was also designed with military use in mind. In a national emergency, the SS United States could have been converted into a troop transport capable of carrying thousands of soldiers. This flexibility was a manifestation of Cold War logic, and helped to explain why it was kept in use even after the era of trans-Atlantic flight.

Despite being so technologically advanced, the liner’s commercial career was relatively short. The arrival of the aircraft age undermined the economics of ocean liner transport, and the SS United States was withdrawn from passenger service in 1969, after only 17 years in service. By contrast, it has spent nearly 60 years in retirement—passing through multiple owners and remaining largely inactive. Various preservation advocates have sought to restore or repurpose the vessel, with proposals to turn it into a floating museum like many former US Navy warships. But the runaway ongoing costs of maintaining and rehabilitating an aging ocean liner made these preservation efforts difficult.

Ultimately, the decision came down to either scrapping the ocean liner—recouping some of its value but ensuring its permanent destruction—or sinking it as an artificial reef, which had high upfront costs (stripping the vessel of environmental contaminants) but no ongoing ones and the potential to recoup the investment through the ship’s new role as a sunken tourist attraction.

Here’s How the SS United States Sinking Will Work

In the next two weeks, the ship will embark on its final voyage: it will be towed from its current berth at Mobile, Alabama, to its planned deployment location off the Florida panhandle. If weather permits, sinking operations will begin at 10 a.m. on November 12, at the coordinates of 30°07.148’N, 86°46.755’W.

By the time the SS United States is sunk, she will have undergone extensive preparations: removing fuel, oil, and other potentially hazardous substances; addressing regulated materials and environmental contaminants; removing or securing equipment that could endanger divers; creating openings to facilitate water circulation and safer access; and preparing the hull for a controlled sinking.

Once submerged, the structure will provide hard surfaces for marine organisms to colonize. Fish and other marine species are expected to use the wreck for shelter and feeding, in turn allowing the vessel to become a major recreational diving destination. A public sendoff ceremony is scheduled for November 11, with a livestream of the sinking on November 12.

About the Author: Harrison Kass

Harrison Kass is a writer and attorney focused on national security, technology, and political culture. His work has appeared in Tablet, City Journal, The Hill, The Spectator, and The Cipher Brief. He holds a JD from the University of Oregon and a master’s in Global & Joint Program Studies from NYU. More at harrisonkass.com.

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