SS United States: Okaloosa County sets date for ocean liner sinking
The 990-foot vessel will be sunk 22 nautical miles off Destin-Fort Walton Beach on Nov. 12 to become an artificial reef.
By Michael Bennett ·
Okaloosa County will sink the SS United States on Thursday, Nov. 12, weather permitting. The 990-foot ocean liner is positioned approximately 22 nautical miles southwest of Destin-Fort Walton Beach. Crews plan to begin operations at 10 a.m., though the county has not specified the exact moment the ship will submerge.
The vessel spent 17 years carrying passengers across the Atlantic. Built in Newport News, Virginia, it made its first crossing in July 1952. That journey took three days, 10 hours and 40 minutes, a time that still holds the passenger liner speed record. The ship earned the Blue Riband for that fastest crossing before commercial air travel reduced its use. It was taken out of service in 1969.
For nearly three decades, the ship sat in Philadelphia after failed restoration efforts. Okaloosa County purchased the vessel in 2024. Workers then moved it to Mobile, Alabama, where crews spent more than a year preparing it for its new role as an artificial reef.
The county states that all 128 fuel and lubricant tanks have been emptied, cleaned, and inspected. Workers removed loose paint, wiring, and other materials that could affect the environment. More than 200 samples were tested for regulated chemicals, including polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs. These industrial chemicals were banned in the United States in 1979 due to health and environmental concerns. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has renewed the federal permit for the project.
Scientists from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Dauphin Island Sea Lab, and Louisiana State University will study the ship and the surrounding environment after it settles on the Gulf floor. County officials expect the wreck to attract fish and marine life while serving as a destination for recreational divers. The project is funded by tourism taxes and contributions from local organizations. The ship's two funnels, radar mast, and hundreds of other artifacts have been saved for a planned museum.
A sendoff ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 11, at 1:30 p.m. at the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Convention Center. The following morning, AJ’s Seafood and Oyster Bar in Destin will host a public viewing party beginning at 9 a.m. A live feed from the deployment site will be shown on the restaurant's outdoor screen.
County officials are coordinating with safety agencies for the event. They expect the sinking to draw hundreds of boats to the area. Anyone watching from the water has been asked to follow instructions from safety crews. Researchers will begin documenting environmental changes and marine life colonization once the vessel settles on the seabed.
