Work is continuing to transform the world's fastest ocean liner to the world's largest artificial reef.
The aft stack and last remaining onboard propeller were removed Aug. 8, according to the SS United States Conservancy, following the removal of the forward stack and mast earlier in the week.
The SS United States is at port in Mobile, Alabama, before it ends up in its final resting place in the Gulf off the coast of Okaloosa County along Florida's Panhandle.
It's been a long road for the retired ocean liner that set the transatlantic speed record on its maiden voyage, crossing the Atlantic in 3.5 days in July 1952. It's a record that remains in place today, 73 years later.
Once the ship finishes undergoing cleaning and removal of any environmentally hazardous materials, it'll be sunk off Florida's Gulf Coast.
Florida officials are planning to build a museum on land for the ship, which will display the ship's funnels, radar mast and other components.
What is the SS United States?
The SS United States was the fastest ocean liner ever to cross the Atlantic Ocean, setting the transatlantic speed record on its maiden voyage, crossing the Atlantic in 3.5 days. It's a record that still holds today, according to the SS United States Conservancy.
Where is the SS United States now?
After being anchored at Pier 82 on Philadelphia’s Delaware River since 1996, the SS United States was moved to Mobile, Alabama, in February 2025.
Its progress was tracked by thousands as it moved south along the eastern coast of the U.S. and into the Gulf.
After cleaning and renovating in Mobile — where "all of the environmentally unsafe materials will be removed" — it'll be moved to Okaloosa County, to be sunk as an artificial reef.
SS United States to be sunk off Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Florida
The ocean liner will be sunk off the coast, where it will become the "world's largest artificial reef," at nearly 1,000 feet long, according to the Destin-Fort Walton Beach's tourism website.
"She will create essential habitat for a diverse range of marine life, attracting divers and anglers from around the world, and resulting in an anticipated direct economic impact of more than $3 million per year."
Officials in Okaloosa County bought the SS United States from the SS United States Conservancy in 2024.
"Our marine species will be the greatest benefactor as it will provide much-needed habitat for them to thrive," Okaloosa County's website said.
"In addition to the usual reef fish species like red snapper and grouper, the size of the SS United States will also attract the more pelagic species of fish such as amberjack, mackerel and tuna."
The reef is expected to attract not only anglers, but divers.
Where is Destin, Florida? Where is Fort Walton Beach, Florida?
Destin and Fort Walton Beach are located along the Gulf Coast, in the western Florida Panhandle.
The communities are both in Okaloosa County and less than 10 miles apart. Fort Walton Beach, the farthest west, is located about 35 miles east of Pensacola. Destin is about 125 miles west of Tallahassee. The two are about 90 miles east of Mobile, Alabama.
When will the SS United States be sunk off Florida?
The SS United States is expected to be "deployed" in late 2025, according to destinfwb.com and the Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners on Facebook.
It was previously estimated that remediation of the ship in Alabama would take about a year.
Where will the SS United States be sunk?
The exact location has not yet been announced.
"She will be towed to about 20 nautical miles south of Destin-Fort Walton Beach at a permitted location to be sunk," Okaloosa County's website said.
"The exact location will be identified prior to the deployment date."
The proposed depth of the reef is 180 feet to the bottom and about 55 feet to the upper deck.
Can I watch the sinking of the SS United States?
"Okaloosa County will be developing a plan in the coming months to make viewing her deployment accessible either virtually or in person via the media," according to the county's website.
Museum in Destin, Florida, to preserve SS United States' memory, history
In Florida, the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners voted to allocate $10.1 million to the entire project including towing operations, remediation, the purchase of the SS United States and funding to help the SS United State Conservancy create a land-based museum in the Destin-Fort Walton Beach area.
"The project has already seen a return in its efforts to promote the Destin-Fort Walton Beach destination and the history of the vessel due to the amount of interest from the public and media worldwide."
The museum in Destin-Fort Walton Beach will "preserve the history of the SS United States, tell her many stories and bring an interactive experience to all who visit the museum that will safeguard her history for generations."
Will SS United States be first ship sunk as artificial reef off Destin, Florida?
No. Okaloosa County has sunk "more than a dozen large vessels" in recent years.
History of the SS United States
The ocean liner:
Was in service from 1952 to 1969
It was widely known as "America's Flagship."
It was the fastest passenger ship ever built and the largest ever made in the USA.
The SS United States still holds the transatlantic speed record, achieved on her maiden voyage using only two-thirds of her power. During sea trials she hit 44 miles per hour. Modern cruise ships travel at around 28 mph.
The ship could be quickly converted into a troop carrier able to transport 14,000 military service members for 10,000 miles without refueling, and she could do it faster than any other ship before or since.
Famous passengers included Walt Disney, Marilyn Monroe, Marlon Brando, Sean Connery, Walter Cronkite, Judy Garland, Cary Grant, Charlton Heston, Bob Hope, Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor, John Wayne, and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.
Four presidents traveled on the ship: Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy and Bill Clinton.
The ship was sold multiple times between the late 1970s and early 2000s to several people who tried and failed to redevelop it into various tourist attractions.
It was sold to Florida's Okaloosa County in 2024.
February 2025: Moved via tugboats from Philadelphia to Mobile, Alabama, for remediation.
Estimated late 2025: To be sunk as the world's largest artificial reef off Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Florida.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: SS United States ocean liner to be Gulf Coast reef off Destin, Florida
Comments