America’s Legendary Ocean Liner Gets One Last Trip, Straight to the Seabed

The SS United States, the ocean liner launched in 1951, is scheduled to be sunk in the second week of November in the Gulf of Mexico, about 22 nautical miles southwest of Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Okaloosa County announced the plan on October 9, and the exact date depends on the weather. The goal is an artificial reef that the county says will serve the environment and local tourism; reports describe it as the world’s largest.

No explosives will be used. The ship will be towed to the site, anchored for about two days of final preparation, and then sunk through controlled flooding. It is expected to settle upright on the seafloor at roughly 180 feet, with its top deck about 55 feet below the surface. The reefing will be live-streamed, and the Coast Guard will keep a wide security perimeter, so spectators cannot get close, though private charters will offer tours from outside it.

Preparation was extensive. In Mobile, Alabama, crews removed toxic materials, sealed off areas unsafe for divers, emptied and cleaned all 128 fuel and lubricant tanks, and stripped ventilation, wiring, exterior paint and more than 400 portholes. Flooring with high PCB levels was removed and disposed of. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers granted final approval, and the EPA did not oppose it.

The ship sat in Philadelphia from 1996 until a rent dispute ended its stay, and Okaloosa County approved buying it in October 2024. It was towed about 2,000 miles to Mobile Bay in early 2025. The SS United States Conservancy plans a land-based museum near the departure points for dive tours, displaying the funnels, radar mast, artwork and artifacts.

Sources: Cruise Hive