Guide for Scuttling the SS United States: Readying the Ship for Its Last Voyage
The iconic SS United States, once the largest ocean liner ever constructed in the United States, is currently undergoing preparations for a unique transformation. The ship, which has been moved to Mobile, Alabama, is set to become the world's largest artificial reef off the coast of Destin-Fort Walton Beach in Okaloosa County, Florida, with deployment expected in late 2025.
The ship's condition over the years has made its potential restoration even more expensive, leading to its eventual eviction from Philadelphia. Okaloosa County purchased the vessel for $1 million with the intention of creating the artificial reef.
Before the sinking, the ship must undergo thorough environmental preparations. All fuel, steam cleaning tanks, loose paint, plastics, and potential toxins like lead or mercury will be removed to ensure a safe deployment. The aft funnel and propeller have already been removed and loaded onto a barge for museum use, while the forward funnel was removed earlier in August 2025 for the planned onshore SS United States Museum and Visitor Experience in Okaloosa County.
Once sunk, the SS United States will serve as a refuge for marine life and a unique diving attraction, surpassing existing records for artificial reefs by size. The upper decks of the ship are intended to be at a depth of approximately 55 feet (17 m), making it accessible to beginner divers.
The museum in Okaloosa, Florida, will house many artifacts from the ship's career, including items currently on loan. The museum's structure will incorporate parts of the ship itself, such as the funnels, mast, anchor, and at least one propeller. Concept images depict the museum's structure as potentially recreating the profile of the ship with its bow extended over Florida waters.
Thinc Design will create the museum's architecture to invoke the look of the SS United States. Okaloosa County is also working with the Conservancy to develop a museum dedicated to the ship and its cultural milieu. Internally, hatches and bulkheads will be removed for sea life and diver access, while dangerous areas for recreational divers may be sealed off.
The sinking process, known as scuttling, will take place in Mobile, Alabama, by Modern American Recycling Services and Coleen Marine. The fate of the SS United States has yet to be determined, but it will be in waters off of Florida's coast.
In an ideal world, the SS United States would be restored and live on as a museum ship. However, failing that, becoming an artificial reef is a more fitting end. The transformation into the world’s largest artificial reef is actively underway, with physical dismantling progressing in Mobile and a museum planned onshore in Florida to preserve and exhibit parts of this historic vessel.
This transformation echoes the fate of the RMS Olympic, which ended up being sold for scrap despite a long and storied career. The SS United States, however, will not meet the same end. Instead, it will live on, providing a refuge for aquatic life and a destination for recreational divers for decades to come.
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