Technology and Scienceupdated 21m ago2 min read
MapOkaloosa County Sinks SS United States Off Florida Panhandle to Create World’s Largest Artificial Reef
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SS United States sunk off Okaloosa County, Florida to become world's largest artificial reef. The ship is a 990-foot former fastest transatlantic liner with decades retired.
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Final voyage to reef
Okaloosa County, Florida is sinking the SS United States off the coast of the Florida panhandle to turn the ocean liner into the world’s largest artificial reef.
The deployment began around 1:40 p.m. CST (2:40 p.m. EST) on Wednesday, and workers have removed the 65-foot (20-meter) smokestacks and cut 10-foot by 10-foot (3-meter by 3-meter) holes in the decks.
Nick Tomecek said federal environmental and explosives rules prevent Okaloosa County and its contractor from using explosives to scuttle the ship, and he said the ship’s seawater-cooling system has had its tanks removed so valves can be opened to flood the hull.
The ship is to sink in about 180 feet (55 meters) of water and will settle about 25 miles (40 kilometers) southwest of Destin, between Panama City and Pensacola, with its top deck about 60 feet (18 meters) below the surface.
The SS United States has been undergoing remediation since it was towed from Philadelphia’s Delaware River waterfront last year, and organizers plan to have the smokestacks anchor a new museum celebrating the ship.
Weather shifts and watching
Okaloosa County moved the sinking up from Thursday to Wednesday because concerns about inclement weather prompted officials to adjust the schedule.
Trey Goodwin said, "Safety is always a top priority in Okaloosa County," and he added, "There is simply no reason to take an unnecessary risk" when changing the timetable.
Destin-Fort Walton Beach shared a link to watch the deployment via livestream, and Clarín said the operation would begin at 2:00 PM, Eastern Time, with a live broadcast.
Fox 13 Tampa Bay said workers began deployment operations at 2 p.m. EST on Wednesday after dangerous weather forecasts pushed the schedule forward.
Okaloosa County spokesperson Nick Tomecek said the ship will be deployed in about 180 feet of water roughly 25 miles southwest of Destin, and he said divers can tour the top deck located roughly 60 feet below the surface.
Engineering legacy and stakes
The SS United States, launched in 1952, still holds the trans-Atlantic speed record for an ocean liner, and ABC News said the ship crossed the Atlantic more than 800 times carrying passengers including Grace Kelly and Elizabeth Taylor. BBC said activists unsuccessfully fought for the historic liner to be preserved as a museum, and it said the ship will be added to dozens of artificial reefs off the coast after being purchased by a Florida county. David Lawrence said, "It was our goal to make sure that she wasn’t lost forever," and Susan Gibbs said, "She really embodies and expresses this country’s best."
Fox News Digital’s Alicia Johnson warned that "Once the ship is submerged, we cannot replicate the state it was in prior to its submersion," and she recommended documenting the ship before it is submerged. Okaloosa County officials promoted the project as both an economic development opportunity and an environmental asset, and 6abc Philadelphia said the vessel will join about 500 artificial reefs located in the waters nearby.