The SS United States, an ocean liner that was once the fastest on the seas, will soon hold a new title, becoming the world’s largest artificial reef off the coast of Florida’s panhandle.
It will be intentionally sunk on Wednesday, eventually coming to rest on the floor of the Gulf, about 25 miles southwest of Destin-Fort Walton Beach, between Panama City and Pensacola, in Okaloosa County.
Officials moved up the sinking date by one day because of weather conditions.
It’s the end of an era for the iconic ship. After being retired for more than 50 years and several failed plans for restoration, officials in Okaloosa County bought the ship in 2024 in an effort to give it a new life.
The 990-foot-long vessel spent nearly three decades docked along Philadelphia’s Delaware River waterfront before departing last year for Alabama, where crews have been preparing it for its next role as an artificial reef.
The $13.5 million project is designed to attract more divers and fishing enthusiasts to the area while creating a home for tuna, marlin and swordfish.
It’s the end of an era for the iconic ship as the SS United States prepares to become the world’s largest artificial reef