A ship that once raced across the Atlantic faster than any liner before it now rests on its way to the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico. The SS United States, a passenger liner that set a transatlantic speed mark in the early 1950s, was scuttled on Wednesday, November 11, about 25 miles southwest of Destin, Florida, as part of a $13.5 million plan to create the world’s largest artificial reef. The operation was reported first by the Associated Press and is covered in detail by ([1]).
A final voyage shaped by weather
The ship’s last trip began in Philadelphia, where it had been docked for years. The SS United States was towed into the Gulf of Mexico after departing Mobile, Alabama, on Monday. Crews had prepared the vessel in Mobile before it was moved to its final site, and work to remove hazardous materials from the ship is now complete.
Weather set the pace of the final days. Weather concerns pushed the scuttling up by one day, prompting officials to cancel the scheduled public sendoff ceremony. Workers began deployment operations in the afternoon after forecasts showed dangerous conditions ahead. Earlier, a planned departure from Philadelphia had also been called off because of a tropical disturbance, which pushed the schedule back further.
How a 990-foot ship is sunk on purpose
Rather than using explosives, the operation relies on controlled flooding. The ship will be sunk by controlled flooding rather than explosives, with the intention that she settles upright on the seabed. Officials say that approach avoids the environmental risks associated with blasting a vessel of this size.
Before the ship went under, crews also took apart parts of it. Workers stripped interior portholes and detached massive smokestacks to submerge the vessel without using environmental-damaging explosives. Planners are also keeping a record of the ship’s condition. A digital model of the entire ship has been produced to preserve a record of her condition before sinking. The removed smokestacks are expected to find a second use, as organizers plan to have them anchor a new museum that celebrates the ship.
Why divers and anglers are watching
The new reef sits at a depth that opens it to a range of visitors. The $13.5 million initiative places the 990-foot hull roughly 25 miles southwest of Destin in 180 feet of water. Officials say the top deck will be within reach of less experienced divers. Divers of beginner experience levels will be able to tour the top deck located roughly 60 feet below the surface.
The wreck will also join a crowded field of underwater structures. More than 500 artificial reefs are located in the waters near where the SS United States will rest. Its location is close to another large vessel, so diving operators may be able to offer combined trips. The site sits close enough to the 911-foot scuttled aircraft carrier USS Oriskany that technical divers can explore both massive ships during a single outing. The project’s backers see the reef as a draw for fishing as well as diving, with the aim of attracting tuna, marlin, and swordfish.
What matters now
- The ship was scuttled on Wednesday, November 11, roughly 25 miles southwest of Destin.
- Okaloosa County owns the vessel and is funding the $13.5 million project.
- The ship is being sunk by controlled flooding, not explosives.
- The reef is expected to rest at about 180 feet, with its top deck near 60 feet below the surface.
Why the reef was chosen over restoration
Preservation groups long pushed for the ship to be saved, and the reef plan drew strong feelings. Still, many of its supporters have accepted the outcome. Most supporters of the SS United States tell CBS News Philadelphia they’ve come to terms with the reefing plan, seeing it as the best alternative to scrapping. Okaloosa County’s natural resources chief has argued that the county is preserving the vessel by giving it a new role, not by letting it be broken apart.
The ship’s past still defines its reputation. Its average speed on the 1952 maiden crossing was close to 41 miles per hour, beating the record held by the RMS Queen Mary since 1938. At 990 feet, the ship is 108 feet longer than the ill-fated Titanic, which hit an iceberg and sank in 1912 on its first voyage across the Atlantic. Those numbers are the reason the ship is remembered, and they explain why its final chapter has drawn so much attention.
For divers and marine scientists, the project will be judged over time. The ship will need to settle upright on the seabed, and marine life will need to colonize its steel. For the county and its tourism partners, the test is whether the wreck draws visitors to the Panhandle in the seasons ahead. For now, the SS United States has completed its last crossing, and its new life as the largest artificial reef in the world has begun.
