The SS United States, the last holder of the Blue Riband award for the fastest transatlantic crossing, is the subject of discussions to be sunk as an artificial reef – the largest in the world.
The SS United States was built during 1950-51 for United States Lines, and with an overall length of 302m (990ft) remains the largest ocean liner ever to be constructed entirely in the US.
She claimed the Blue Riband during her maiden voyage in July 1952, breaking the Atlantic crossing record held by the RMS Queen Mary for 14 years by nearly ten hours.
United States was a popular ship during the 1950s, attracting a raft of celebrities including Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland and Cary Grant, but the ship – like many passenger liners of the era – fell out of favour with the rise of transatlantic airlines.
By 1969 the ship’s operating costs had overrun her income, and after being docked for an overhaul she was withdrawn from service, where – despite several offers from businesses to buy her and, later, a plan by the US Navy to turn her into a hospital ship – she remained laid up in Norfolk, Virginia until 1992.
She was towed to Sevastopol Shipyard in Ukraine to have her asbestos linings removed during 1992-93, but despite changing hands several times and interest from cruise line companies – including six years spent in the ownership of the Norwegian Cruise Line – she was returned to the US and has remained moored in Philadelphia, slowly falling into disrepair, ever since.
In 2010, she was bought by the SS United States Conservancy, a consortium of philanthropic business owners who planned to redevelop the ship as a luxury waterfront development, but a legal battle following disagreements over rent with the owners of the pier where she was docked, the ageing ship was evicted from her mooring with instructions that she should be moved before 12 September 2024.
On 30 August, officials from Florida’s Okaloosa County announced that they were involved in negotiations to acquire the ship and sink as an artificial reef off Destin-Fort Walton Beach, at a cost to the County of $1 million.
Okaloosa County, which borders the Gulf of Mexico in its southern reaches, is already home to several hundred artificial reefs – including the aircraft carrier USS Oriskany, which was sunk as an artificial reef in May of 2006.
At 260m in length, Oriskany holds the current record for longest artificial reef, and has become a popular dive site for both recreational and technical divers.
Although the project to sink the SS United States has been widely announced in the media as a done deal, a statement released by the Conservancy earlier in September said that the deal has not been finalised. The Conservancy said that the agreement with Okaloosa County was a ‘contingent contract’ and would only proceed if the Conservancy could not find a way to keep the ship afloat.
There may be further delays to proceedings as United States still remains in port. On 12 September – the day of her eviction – the Conservatory accused the pier owners of attempting to block the sale to Okaloosa County and sell the ship privately and has asked for a court-ordered extension to her berthing.
A vote to decide on the future of the SS United States is due to take place on 17 September.
