The world’s fastest ocean liner is scheduled to become the world’s largest artificial reef next month off the coast of Florida.
Officials in Okaloosa County, Florida, said they will tow the SS United States into the Gulf during the second week of November. The historic ocean liner will be sunk about 22 miles southwest of Destin-Fort Walton Beach.
“This is an exciting move forward to create a one-of-a-kind resource for the environment and for our tourism industry,” county officials said in a statement.
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The reefing operation is weather-dependent, and dates may change, officials said.
The iconic ocean liner had been docked in Philadelphia for nearly 30 years. Conservationists hoped to turn it into a floating hotel and mixed-use destination. However, the SS United States was sold to become an artificial reef because decades of high restoration costs and a lack of a suitable permanent dock left scrapping or reefing as the only viable options, officials said.
On her maiden voyage in July 1952, the SS United States crossed from New York to Great Britain in 3 days, 10 hours, and 40 minutes. The record remains unbroken by an ocean liner.
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