Free Republic

Oct. 21 (UPI) -- Officials in Florida's Panhandle predict the transformation of the former glamour cruise liner SS United States into a sunken artificial reef will be a major boost for the region's eco-tourism industry. After a years-long legal battle over its future at Pier 82 in Philadelphia, where it has been docked since 1996, the ship Saturday was officially signed over a week ago to Okaloosa County, Fla. The county plans to submerge the 990-foot vessel in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Destin as part of its long-standing efforts to boost the popularity of sport diving...

The SS United States is facing eviction from its mooring at Pier 82 in Philadelphia in a lawsuit filed by Penn Warehousing, the pier’s landlord. The ocean liner has been rusting away in the Delaware River since 1996 but has a storied past. In 1952, it broke the once-highly sought record for the fastest transatlantic crossing, the last passenger ship to do so. The SS United States Conservancy, a non-profit attempting to restore the ship, admits that relocation will be necessary but is still aiming to preserve the vessel. The potential eviction stems from rent increases that could be against...