A roadblock appears in Florida County’s proposal to transform a historic ship into the largest artificial reef in the world

FLORIDA’S SOUTHERN REGION- A planned transaction involving the acquisition of a historic but aging ocean liner by a Florida county could result in the creation of the world’s largest artificial reef. However, the plan encountered a roadblock on Tuesday when Okaloosa County, a coastal community in the Florida panhandle, decided to postpone voting on the proposal to purchase and deliberately sink the SS United States. 

On its maiden voyage in 1952, the SS United States—the largest passenger ship ever built in the United States—shattered the record for the fastest trans-Atlantic trip by a passenger liner, according to Associated Press reporting from on board.

Tourism expenditure at scuba shops

After a year-long legal battle over rent and dockage payments, a court set a Sept. 12 deadline for the historic ship to leave its current home at a Philadelphia port. Now, the ship is in a race against time to find a new resting place. The enormous ocean liner, which is longer than the Titanic by more than 100 feet (30 meters), could be scrapped or deliberately sunk to make way for an artificial reef.

In order to establish the largest artificial reef in the world, officials in Okaloosa County, Florida, intend to submerge the SS United States in the Gulf of Mexico. Proponents anticipate that this diving attraction will bring in millions of dollars annually for local tourism expenditures at scuba shops and charter.

According to David Bailey, a dive club member of Emerald Coast Scubaholics, “most divers are going to be very excited.” “However, a reefing program encompasses more than just scuba diving. By building reefs, you attract fish.” Since 2022, county employees have been monitoring the vessel’s whereabouts.

Supporters contend that the SS United States may be a star covered in barnacles among the county’s more than 500 artificial reefs. However, staff requested that a vote on the plan be deferred until the board’s next meeting on September 17 during the Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners meeting on Tuesday. “A problem has arisen with the pier operators,” stated County Administrator John Hofstad.

A county representative stated that the SS United States Conservancy, the organization spearheading the ship’s rescue mission, is actively collaborating with county officials, but she refrained from providing any details regarding the proposal’s current state.