The iconic SS United States, once the fastest ocean liner to cross the Atlantic Ocean, is set to embark on its final voyage: this time to the ocean floor.

The vessel, measuring over 300 metres, is being prepared for scuttling off Florida’s Gulf Coast, where it will form the world’s largest artificial reef.

Currently docked in Mobile, Alabama, the ship is undergoing extensive environmental-friendly cleaning to remove hazardous materials. Once completed, only its steel and aluminium structure will remain, ready for safe deployment underwater.

Several local counties have been competing to host the new dive attraction, offering millions of dollars in funding to have it sunk nearer to their shores. However, preservationists have launched legal action to block the plan, arguing that the liner’s historical value warrants protection.

Okaloosa County – which acquired the ship following a lease dispute – intends to proceed with the project by the end of the year. Officials estimate the reef will boost tourism and marine biodiversity, while a planned museum will honour the ship’s engineering legacy.

Launched in 1952, the SS United States still holds the transatlantic speed record of crossing the Atlantic in three days, 10 hours and 40 minutes. If sunk as planned, it will gain a new legacy beneath the waves: one of conservation, education, and adventure.

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