Florida to sink SS United States ocean liner for world’s largest artificial reef

DESTIN, Fla. - Okaloosa County plans to deploy the historic 990-foot ocean liner SS United States into the Gulf on Nov. 12 to build the world's largest artificial reef.

Destin artificial reef project

What we know:

Crews will tow the 990-foot SS United States from Mobile, Ala., days before sinking the historic ocean liner in the Gulf. Operations are scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. on Nov. 12 at proposed coordinates 30° 07.148' N, 86° 46.755' W, located about 22 nautical miles southwest of Destin-Fort Walton Beach.

Tourism revenue and partner contributions fully funded the artificial reef project. The sunken vessel will create a habitat for marine life, build a premier diving site, and bolster local fisheries.

Historic ocean liner record

The backstory:

The SS United States set the record for the fastest ocean liner crossing in 1952. It will continue its record-setting tradition as the world's largest artificial reef.

Public sendoff event schedule

What's next:

County officials will host a public sendoff ceremony at 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 11 at the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Convention Center, featuring light refreshments. On deployment day, Nov. 12, AJ’s Seafood and Oyster Bar in Destin will host a 9 a.m. live viewing party with video shown on a large outdoor screen.

People can also watch the deployment live online at thessus.com. Officials expect hundreds of vessels to watch in person and instruct bystanders to follow guidance from safety boats stationed on site.

Deployment weather contingency plan

What we don't know:

Officials noted that the Nov. 12 deployment depends on favorable weather conditions. Authorities have not confirmed backup dates if bad weather delays operations.

The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Okaloosa County officials, who released details on the deployment schedule, safety precautions, and public viewing options for the SS United States project.