Underwater Fate Drawing Closer for America’s Old Ocean Liner

With the deadline for leaving the Pennsylvania dock in Philadelphia less than two weeks away, the SS United States may have no further choice for redocking in a new location, but instead may be scuttled to become a new part of marine history.

The SS United States Conservancy has confirmed that the group has been in discussions with Okaloosa County, Florida for the ship to become an artificial reef with a nearby land-based museum dedicated to its legacy following the denial of a deadline extension to find the vessel a new home.

“In an urgent effort to comply with the Judge’s initial ruling and subsequent hearing in U.S. District Court, the Conservancy has been in discussions on a range of scenarios for the ship’s future, including proposals to deploy the SS United States as an artificial reef in tandem with a land-based museum,” the Conservancy confirmed.

“Negotiations with Okaloosa County have been advancing positively on a confidential basis. We value the County’s appreciation of the historical importance of the SS United States, their extensive experience in respectfully and effectively deploying artificial reefs, and their desire to preserve the ship’s extraordinary legacy.”

Because the negotiations are not yet finalized, the Conservancy will not comment further on the nature of the overall contract or other details of the ship’s possible fate.

ABC 3 WEAR confirmed the ongoing negotiations, noting that Okaloosa County has signed the agreement that could make the aging ocean liner the world’s largest artificial reef.

Okaloosa County is located on Florida’s Gulf Coast in the panhandle, roughly 40 miles east of Pensacola and home to Destin and Fort Walton. It is off the coast of those picturesque beaches that the ship may be positioned as a reef, and a dedicated museum would provide additional tourist interest about the ship’s rich history.

The $9 million purchase contract for the vessel must be ratified by the Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners at their next meeting on Tuesday, September 3, 2024.

After that time, the transport and deployment of the ship would need to be finalized, with funding to be approved along the way as it is secured.

How Profitable Would an Artificial Reef Be?

If the contract is approved and moves forward, the 990-foot SS United States would be 102 feet longer than the current record-holder for the largest artificial reef, the Essex-class aircraft carrier USS Oriskany, which is incidentally located offshore in Pensacola. The USS Oriskany was sunk in May 2006 to become the “Great Carrier Reef.”

Artificial reefs are popular destinations for divers and bring significant tourism to Florida. The SS United States would likely add a more unique element, as diving to passenger liners is much more unique than diving to military vessels.

“I am super excited for it,” said Gary Wyant, owner of Fort Walton Beach Scuba. “It’s gonna be great for the economy, great for the area. It’s gonna be another wreck we can go on and do wreck penetration dives. It’s gonna be amazing.”

That economic impact would be far longer lasting than any profit realized from scrapping the ship, and would also serve to continue to highlight the ship’s notable history.

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Nearby Escambia County – the westernmost county in Florida’s panhandle – was also negotiating a deal for the ship, but unfortunately was not able to secure suitable funding or confirm details ahead of Okaloosa County.

Ultimately, if the ship is sunk as an artificial reef, it may add as much as $3-6 million annually to the county’s tourism economy. In comparison, the USS Oriskany attracts more than 10,000 divers annually.

Furthermore, a new reef will benefit marine life, biodiversity, and general habitat health in the region, which will also have benefits for local sport, commercial, and recreational fishing as well as other water sports.