Posted on 10/07/2026 6:48:13 AM PDT by Red Badger
The SS United States is facing one final hurdle before the historic ocean liner can be sunk and turned into an artificial reef off Florida.
Officials in Okaloosa County, who own the vessel, say they are still waiting for sign-off from the US Army Corps of Engineers, with the federal delay keeping the ship in Mobile, Alabama, for now.
County commissioners have approved another $1.2m for the project, including $944,000 to keep the vessel docked in Mobile if necessary.
The remaining funding covers towing, deployment and regulatory costs.
The 990ft liner, once the fastest passenger ship in the world, arrived in Mobile in 2025 after being towed from Philadelphia.
Environmental remediation has now been completed.
The plan is for the vessel to be towed offshore from Destin-Fort Walton Beach and sunk as what officials describe as the world's largest artificial reef.
Several US groups continue to oppose the plan.
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What a shame. I remember being aboard the military ship the US Buckner in 1959 sailing from Bremerhaven, Germany to New York. I was only 11 years old. An announcement came over the loud speaker that the SS United States would be passing by us. We all went out to get a look. It flew by us. Made us look like we were standing still in the water. It was a beautiful sight.
If it could have been saved, it should have been done that long ago when it was in dock in Philadelphia.
OK.
Y'all got the $$$$$$$$ to do something else with her?
No?
Didn't think so ...
Thank you for the Awesome Navy kid memory FRiend.
Fly Navy!
Tatt
The groups opposed to the plan cannot or will not privately fund the alternatives. So of course they want federal money to save it.
The time to save it was 30 or 40 years ago. Convert the the ship into a hotel like the Queen Mary or convert it to a diesel powered cruise ship-of course such a ship would be obsolete in 2026.
It's why projects are delayed, the price skyrockets or they are completely abandoned because of lawsuits
Apparently, dismantling and recycling must be ‘cost prohibitive’. We are always being nagged to recycle.
I guess it would not make a good floating museum either.
Not far from me in the Bay Area (Ca.) is the legendary WW2 aircraft carrier USS Hornet. That’s a floating museum, docked in Alameda, Ca. since 1998.
Question: Why is this preferable to scrapping it?
I bet OMG (Orange Man Great) could figure it out Mar-a-Lago *Art of the Deal* style...
Reefs are good for fish and wildlife. Also good for scuba divers.
Our county, Okaloosa, purchased this ship to become the world’s largest artificial reef for diving tourism...............
Well if there is anyone in the country that could figure it out it would be OMG. However, even Trump enterprises will stay away from lousy money losing proposals.
The SS United States is now just a rust bucket.
In 1964, my family moved from Ft Ord California to Landstuhl, Germany. Dad was moving moving from one army post to another. My family drove across country to New York and took the SS United States across the Atlantic to Bremerhaven. I don’t know how we made the last part of the journey. But eventually dad’s car was waiting for us. The folks brought 7 kids with them. Mom said she liked to have babies and she liked to travel. So the wild joy ride suited her.
Fun trip.
The world’s largest reef? Trump should rename it SS AMERICA!
I guess United States will have to do.
Well, it will be in the GULF of AMERICA!...........
Took the ship from NYCity in 1959; got aboard after visiting a dentist. Tooth impacted and had a hell of a toothache. Awoke early AM three days later and from B Deck decided to go exploring. Walked what seemed miles and didn’t encounter a soul. Returned to cabin to tell wife that the ship was deserted. She said I was mad, and should get some sleep. Woke up the AM and had a terrific breakfast. Fastest ship ever. Got off at Bremerhaven and picked up my Volkswagen. then off we went. Paid my way around Europe for three months with casino winnings at Paris Plage, San Remo, Travemunde, Estoril. Ah, those were the days!
My Dad built a model of the SS US when I was a kid back in the fifties. It sat on top of the TV while I was growing up. Such a wonderful ship it’s so sad to see her in this state.
Straight up good economic reason. 
Used to be moored in Norfolk, used to see it when returning from deployments back in the 80’s. Later, after I got out of the Navy, bought a house on the harbor waterfront and could see it from my front yard. Then watched it as it was being towed away in 1992.
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