Historic Ocean Liner SS United States Sunk Off Florida to Form Giant Artificial Reef

What Happened

The famous ocean liner SS United States is being sunk off the coast of Florida on Wednesday to form the world's largest artificial reef. The 990-foot ship is being deliberately flooded in the Gulf of Mexico about 25 miles southwest of Destin, Florida. The $13.5 million project was moved forward by a day from Thursday due to worsening weather conditions. Workers prepared the vessel for controlled flooding without explosives by removing seawater tanks, cutting large deck openings, and taking out more than 400 portholes.

Project Details And History

The ship will rest in about 180 feet of water with its upper deck 60 feet below the surface for recreational divers and fishing enthusiasts. Built in Virginia in 1950 and 1951, the vessel set an unbeaten transatlantic speed record during its 1952 maiden voyage, averaging nearly 36 knots. At 990 feet, it is 108 feet longer than the Titanic. It completed over 800 crossings with prominent passengers like John F. Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe, and Elizabeth Taylor before being withdrawn from service in 1969. Florida's Okaloosa County purchased the ship for $1 million in 2024 to create the reef.

Context

Artificial reefs are human-made structures placed on the ocean floor to promote marine life growth in areas with flat seabeds. This large-scale project will help marine species like tuna, marlin, and swordfish while also supporting scientific research on how ecosystems colonise metal shipwrecks.